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BIOGRAPHICAL MEMOIR 



OF THE LATE 



COMMODORE JOSHUA BARNEY: 



FROM 



AUTOGRAPHICAL NOTES AND JOURNALS 



IN POSSESSION OF HIS FAMILY, AND OTHER AUTHENTIC SOURCES. 



EDITED BY MARY BARNEY. 



Maris et terrse miles, pariter in utroquedignus, 
Meruit ac tulit honores. 



' Whoso shall telle a tale after a man, 
He must reherse as neighe als ever he can.' — CHiucER. 



BOSTON: J^ 
PUBLISHED BY GRAY AND BO WEN 
1832. 



Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1832, 

By Gray and Bowen, 

in the Clerk's office of the District Court of Massachusetts. 



PRESS OF I. R. BUTTS BOSTON. 



PREFACE. 



There are three things that sometimes enter into 
the composition of a book, which are seldom looked 
upon with complacency by the generality of read- 
ers ; these are, a Preface — whether in the shape of 
advertisement, apology, or essay upon ' matters and 
things in general' — marginal Notes, and an Appen- 
dix. Having once been readers ourselves, we pro- 
fess to know something of the sympathies and 
antipathies of that ' numerous and respectable' por- 
tion of the public ; and we arc sure we assert no 
more than they would be all ready to confirm — if 
they had the opportunity — when we say, that it is 
regarded as one of the ' miseries,' to be disturbed 
in an agreeable train of thought, or interrupted in 
the most pathetic part of an interesting story, by an 
obtrusive note of reference, or explanation, which 
the impertinent author chooses to think necessary. 
V/e have heard, and perhaps uttered, many an exe- 
cration upon the head of an unconscious author, for 
daring to take such liberties — with his own book ! 
What right has he — or she, as the case may be — 
to interfere with the habits, or prejudices, or whims 



ir PREFACE. 



of the reader? Ay ! that is the question, as Hamlet 
said — but we will not discuss it, for several good 
reasons : one is, it would lead us deep into politics — 
we should be obliged to examine the aliments of our 
government, the reciprocal rights and duties of 
majorities and minorities, and the principles of 
'Nullification' — a wider field than we have either 
time or inclination to traverse ; another reason is, 
that readers must form the tribunal before whom the 
question would come up for decision, and they con- 
stitute such an overwhelming majority, that we re- 
gard it as ' the better part of valor,' to leave the 
argument, as well as the judgment, in their hands. 
— But, professing to know so well what your read- 
ers would like or dislike, why did you choose to 
incur their displeasure, by presenting your book 
with the exceptionable additaments ? It was pre- 
cisely to answer that question, that this preface was 
designed. 

It was not until after the work was nearly finish- 
ed, that any of the matter to be found in the Notes 
and Appendix, came into the possession of the writer. 
Much of it was believed to be important, and the 
whole seemed to be too interesting to be omitted ; 
but, to have woven it into the body of the work, 
would have required such a change in its structure, 
that the labor would have been nearly equal to that 
of writing the whole of it a second time. The 
only alternative was that which has been adopted : 
it was at first supposed, that a very few notes would 
embrace all that could be regarded as necessary, but 
as additional materials continued from time to time 



to te supplied, an Appendix became indispensable. 
Being thus forced, much to her regret, to encumber 
her book with tioo of the evils so frequently com- 
plained of, the third seemed to follow as a matter 
of course, since it was only in a Preface, that the 
writer could make the apology, and the explanation, 
which she thought due to the reader. As to other, 
and no doubt still greater, imperfections, in the style 
and execution of the work, no apology will be at- 
tempted, because none would sujffice to screen it 
from the criticisms of the ill natured — and the good 
natured reader will require none. 



C ONTENTS. 



CHAPTER I. 

A brief Account of the Parentage, Birth, and Education of Joshua Bar- 
ney.— His early choice of a sea life. — Reluctant consent of his Parents 
to his adoption of that profes.uon. — He commences his career in a Pi- 
lot-boat — Is afterwards apprenticed to his brother-in-law ; and makes 
a Voyage to Cork and Liverpool. — Visits DubUn, sees a Review in 
the Park— and returns to Baltimore, with a number of Irish Emigrants. 
— • Redemptioners,' ..... 



CHAPTER II 



Barney visits Home — finds the family in affliction — is suddenly recall- 
ed to his duties — makes several voyages. — Captain Drysdale dies at 
sea. — Young Barney assumes the Command, before he is sixteen. 
— The alarming condition of his Ship. — He puts into Gibraltar — His 
energetic conduct there. — He airives at Nice — has a dispute with his 
Merchants and the Governor — is imprisoned — displays great Firmness 
of Mind — visits the British Ambassador at Milan, and obtains prompt 
redress. — The Governor's obsequious deportment to him. — He arrives 
at Alicant — is detained in the service of the Count O'Reilly's celebra- 
ted Expedition against \lgiers — his Account of that disgraceful affair. 
— He sails for Baltimore — is boarded by a British Sloop of War, and 
informed of the Battle of Bunker's Hill — his impatience to join the 
'Rebels' — his arrival — and reception by the owner of the ship. 



CHAPTER III 



State of the Country in the Autumn of 1775. — Barney's Ship is laid 
up. — He offers his services on board the sloop of War Hornet — is 
made Master's-mate. — He is the first person that hoists the American 
Flag in the State of Maryland. — The Hornet joins the Squadron, at 
Philadelphia, under the command of Commodore Hopkins. — Tiiey sail 



Vin CONTENTS. 

for the Bahamas— enter New- Providence, and take possession of the 
Town and Fort without resistance. — The Squadron returns. — The Hor- 
net experiences a disaster — encounters bad weather on the coast of 
South CaroUna — returns to the Delaware. — Barney discovers his Cap- 
tain to be a coward — his indi^^nation thereat—he becomes himself the 
Commander — and succeeds in I'eaching Philadelphia in spite of the 
vigilance of the British Cruisers, .... 29 



CHAPTER IV. 

Historical Digression. — State of Affairs in the beginning of 1776. — Bar- 
ney's reasons for preferring to serve as a Volunteer. — He enters on 
board the Schooner Wasp, Captain Alexander. — Encounter with the 
Enemy. — The Wasp is driven into Wilmington Creek. — Gallant 
Achievement of her Commander, assisted by Barney, while there. — 
Action of two days between the Philadelphia Row- Galleys, and the 
British Frigates Roebuck and Liverpool. — Barney volunteers to bring 
a disabled Galley into action. — The Enemy are driven below New- 
castle. — Return to Philadelphia. — Promotion of Captain Alexander. — 
Barney is ordered to the Sloop Sachem — has an interview with the 
President of the Marine Committee — Receives a Letter of appoint- 
ment as Lieutenant in the Navy, .... 36 



CHAPTER V. 

Captain Isaiah Robinson takes command of the Sachem. — They sail on - -. 
a Cruise — engage and capture a British Letter of Marque, of superior 
force, after a desperate action of two hours— return to Philadelphia 
with their prize. — Lord North loses a fine Turtle ! — Captain R. and 
Lieut. Barney are transferred to the Andrea Doria. — They proceed to 
St Eustatia — their Salute of the Foi't is returned by the Dutch Gov- 
ernor. — Severe Action with the British sloop Race-horse — ' tables turn- 
ed upon Admiral Parker. — Capture of a British Snow. — Lieut. Barney 
put on board as Prize-Master. — Tempest on the coast — perilous situa- 
tion of the Snow on the Chincoteague Shoals. — Instance of Lieut. B.'s 
firmness and intrepidity. — The weather moderates — he sails for the 
Chesapeake — is driven off the Capes by a Snow-storm — chased by a 
British Ship — part of his crew mutiny — his conduct on the occasion — 
captured by the Perseus and carried to Charleston — Rencounter on 
board between the Purser of the Perseus and Bainey. — Honorable 
Conduct of Capt. Elphinstone. — Barney is released on Parole— travels 
on horseback — his revenge upon the Tories— arrival at Philadelphia — ia 
discharged from his parole — and returns to the Andrea Doria, , 45 



CHAPTER VI. 

Historical Summary. — Sir William Howe takes possession of Philadel- 
phia. — The Enemy's Fleet enters the Delaware. — Tremendous Bom- 
bardment of Mud Island Fort. — Notice of Lieutenant Col. Samuel 
Sniilh. — Anecdote of Moses Porter, and biief Account of his Services. 
— Fall of Mud Island and Red Bank. — The Americans set fire to their 



CONTENTS. IX 

Fleet, and escape in their small boats to Bordentown. — Lieutenant Bar- 
ney is appointed first otficer of the Virginia Frigate — is sent to Balti- 
more with a Detachment of Seamen for that Vessel— marches by the 
way of Valley Forge. — The sufFarings of his men on the march from 
the severities of the weather — He delivers them on board the Virgin- 
ia — has command of the Frigate's Tender — recaptures an American 
Sloop with the crew of an enemy's Barge, on board. — His generous 
treatment of the prisoners gratefully acknowledged. — The Virginia at- 
tempts to go to sea — is run aground between the Capes. — Extraoi-dina- 
ry conduct of her Commander. — The enemy board and take posses- 
sion of her. — Barney is put on board the Emerald. — Humane charac- 
ter oi Captain Caldwell — his popularity with the Americans at Hamp- 
ton — Governor Henry's invitation and present to him. — Captain Cald- 
well's conduct contrasted with that of other British Oificers, . 58 



CHAPTER VII. 

Lieutenant Barney, with other Prisoners, is sent to New York. — He 
forms a plan to seize the St Albans, and capture the enemy's whole 
fleet — the secret is betrayed by a Frenchman : — good humor of Cap- 
tain Onslow on the occasion— Barney avows his whole design. — Arri- 
val at New York. — He is sent on board a crowded Prison-ship — suf- 
ferings of the prisoners : — his reflections upon his treatment. — Hopes 
inspired by the appearance of Count D'E^taing's Fleet — disappointed. 
— Admiral Byron arrives. — The condition of the prisoners greatly meli- 
orated. — Lieutenant Barney is removed to the Flag-ship — acquires 
the esteem and confidence of the Admiral: — he is seized in New 
York as an Incendiary — his narrow escape from his savage accusers. 
He is exchanged for the first Lieutenant of the Mermaid — visits Balti- 
more — consents to take command of a small armed Merchantman — is 
captured in the Chesapeake Bay and put ashoi-e. — Captain Robinson 
arrives in Baltimore — his flatteringoffer to Barney : — the latter accepts 
it. — Voyage to Bordeaux in an armed Merchantman.— .They engage 
and beat off an English Privateerof superior force — arrive at Bordeaux 
— Armament of the Ship increased. — They sail for Pliiladelphia. — 
Action with, and Capture of, a British Letter of Marque Ship of equal 
force. — Safe] Arrival of both Ships at Philadelphia. . 09 



CHAPTER VIII. 

Marriage of Lieutenant Barney. — Undertakes a commercial speculation 
— visits Baltimore : — meets with a heavy loss : — his philosophy on the 
occasion : returns to Philadelphia : — joins the Saratoga, and sails on a 
cruise : — Engagement with the Enemy : — Capture of four Vessels 
from the Enemy : — gallant feat of Lieutenant Barney : — he takes Com- 
mand of one of the captured ships; — capriciousness of fortune : — he is 
captured by an English 74: — infamous conduct of her commander: — 
he is taken to New York: — transferred, with other prisoners to the 
Yarmouth 74, and ordered for England : — sufferings of the prisoners 
during a long voyage : — a pestilence breaks out among them : — cruel 
and inhuman treatment of them : — they arrive at Plymouth in a state 
of dreadful extremity : — are tried as ' traitors and rebels,' and com- 
mitted to Mill Prison. — Description of the Prison : — numerous attempts 
made to escape : — Barney makes a friend of one of the sentinels — 



; CONTENTS. 

effects bis escape in open day in the undress of a British officer:— is 
kindly received and entertained at the house of a Clergyman:— meets 
witli two Maryland friends — they purchase a small fishing; boat, and 
attempt to gain the coast of France :— pass the British fleet at the 
mouth of the river :— the friends taken sick, and Barney left to man- 
age the vessel alone :— boarded by a Guernsey Privateer :— his prompt- 
ness and firmness of mind deceive the boarding officer :— the captain 
of the privateer not satisfied, takes him back to Plymouth for ex- 
amination :— he escapes in the stern boat : — enters the village of 
Causen : is mistaken for a British officer:— meeting with the crew of 
the Privateer : — Lord Edgecombe's gardener : —Barney meets with a 
Butcher who puts him across the river— regains the Clergyman's house 
in safety, . . . . • • . . i?' I 



CHAPTER IX. 

Singular good fortune of Lieutenant Barney in eluding his pursuers — 
while at supper with his friends, the Town Crier rings his bell under 
the windows, proclaims a reward for his apprehension, and describes 
his person, and dress : — consternation and alarm of his friends : — his 
own sang froid on the occasion : — procures a new dress, and takes a 
Post-chaise at midnight for Exeter: — laughable deception of the Sen- 
tinel at the gate : — he reaches Exeter in safety : — adventure on the 
road thence to Bristol : meets with friends : — goes to London : — is 
hardly dissuaded from the hazardous design of visiting Mr Laurens in 
the Tower : — kindness of an officer of the Custom House : — sails for 
Ostend : — romantic adventure, and agreeable journey thence to Brus- 
sels : — unexpected introduction to the Emperor of Austria — travels 
through Antwerp and Rotterdam to the Hague : — sees the Prince of 
Orange : — arrives at Amsterdam : — meets with Mi- John Adams, and is 
kindly received : — takes passage in the frigate South Carolina — quits her 
atCorunna,inSpain, and takespassage in the Massachusetts Privateer: 
— visits Bilboa : — ariives at Beverly : — honorable ofTer to him by the 
Messrs Cabot : — he declines it, and sets out for Boston — hospitable re- 
ception there : — is detained by snow-storms — travels in a sleigh to 
Princeton : — arrives safely at Philadelphia — meeting with his wife 
and son^ . . . . . . . . , 9S 



CHAPTER X. 

The Command of the Pennsylvania state ship Hyder-Ally is offered to 
Barney: — he accepts it— rapidity with which he fits her out — he sails 
down the Delaware to convoy a fleet of merchantmen : — meets the 
enemy at the Capes : — battle with the General Monk — he captures hei- 
in 26 minutes : — saves his convoy, and returns to Philadelphia — Anec- 
dotes of the battle — coolness of the ' Bucks County men' : — his re- 
ception in the city. — The Legislature of Pennsylvania votes him a 
sword. — The General Monk converted into a Packet : — her name 
changed to the ' General Washington : ' — the command of her is given 
to her captor. — He sails for the West Indies on an important expedi- 
tion — convoys a fleet as far as the Capes — the enemy there induce the 
convoy to return. — He gets to sea by skilful manoeuvring : — engage- 
ment with an English Privateer. — Anecdote of James H. McCui- 
loch. — Arrival at Cape Francois : — state of the combined fleets of 



CONTENTS. XI 

France and Spain. — He sails for the Havana with an escort : — re- 
ceives a large sum of money on board, and returns to the Delaware 
— incidents of the voyage : — captures a number of Refugee Barges in 
the Bay : — finds the convoy he had left still there : — their laughable 
mistake of his character. — Remarks on the trim of his ship — his crew. 
— Arrival at Philadelphia — his reception by Mr Morris, . . 112 



CHAPTER XI. 

Historical Review. — Captain Barney is sent to France with Despatches : 
— his Interview with Dr Franklin at Passy : — meets Messrs Adams, 
Jay, and Laurens at Paris— is introduced to the royal family at Ver- 
sailles : — agreeable sojourn at Paris — returns to his ship at L'Orient : . 
— receives a confidential communication from Dr Franklin : — sails from 
L'Orient with the King of England's Passport ; — successful man- 
oeuvres to avoid being visited by British cruisers. — He arrives at Phil- 
adelphia — brings the first intelligence of Peace — issentforby Congress 
and eagerly questioned — ^joy of tlie people : — his family — another son 
born. — The Treaty arrives. — He is again despatched to England and 
France. — Curious anecdote of his Passengers. — He arrives at Ply- 
mouth — his feelings on the occasion: — gives a fete on board his ship 
to his friends, the Clergyman's family : — visits the old Gardener at 
Lord Edgecombe's : — interesting discovery. — He sails for Havre : — 
visits Paris again for a few days: — returns to his ship : — lands Mr 
Laurens in England, and arrives safely at Philadelphia. — His ship the 
only one retained in service : — he is despatched again to France. — 
Anecdote of John Paul Jones : — Major L'Enfant: — is ordered to wait 
at Havre for the Minister's despatches : — withstands every tempta- 
tion to visit Paris : — sails in a heavy gale : — tempestuous and peril- 
ous passage : — finds the Chesapeake Bay blocked up with Ice : — gets 
into Annapolis with great difficulty : — Congress in session there : — he 
lands and travels on horseback to Philadelphia: — state of the roads — 
snow three feet deep. — Is ordered to take his .ship into Baltimore and 
sell her: — removes his family to Baltimore. — Affecting interview with 
Mr Morris on the settlement of his accounts, and close of his service. 
— Letter from Mr Laurens, . , . . • 133 



CHAPTER XII 



Reflections on Captain Barney's change of life. — He establishes himself 
in commerce : — meets witfi heavy losses : — has a third son born : — his 
mother takes up her residence in his family : — he purchases a tract of 
land in Kentucky : — visits Charleston, Savannah, and Kentucky : — be- . 
comes a great favorite with the ' Hunters of Kentucky' : — returns to 
Baltimore : — takes an active part in favor of the adoption of the Con- 
stitution : — violence of electioneering meetings : — the State Conven- 
tion adopt the constitution — ratification of the same by Congress : — 
grand procession in honor of the event : — he rigs up and commands a 
miniature ship on the occasion: — ' Federal Hill' named. — He fits his 
little ship for a voyage : — enters Annapolis by invitation and is hospita- 
bly entertained : — pursues his voyage to Mount Vernon. — presents the 
Ship to Washington, in the name of the Ship-Masters of Baltimore : — 
is kept at Mount Vernon for a week : — returns to Baltimore by land. 



Xll CONTENTS. 

— ^^Mrs Washington arrives at Baltimore : — and invites him to accom- 
pany her to New York. — The Governor and Troops of Pennsylvania 
meet them at Gray's Ferry : — grand collation : — Mrs Morris joins the 
travellers to New York. He meets his friend Mr Morris : — is intro- 
duced to the Secretary of the Treasury : — corresponds with him on the 
subject of the Revenue : — is offered command of a Cutter and declines : 
— is appointed Clerk of the District Court of Maryldud : — ^^gives up the 
office in a short time : — is appointed by the Legislature Vendue Mas- 
ter : — establishes a Warehouse in conjunction with a Partner : — busi- 
ness goes on prosperously. He projects a voyage : — leaves the busi- 
ness to his Partner, and visits Carthagena and Havana : — finds a 
daughter born on his return. — Death of his Mother : — his filial piety. 
— He undertakes another voyage on a larger scale : — the Firm pur- 
chase the Ship ' Sampson': — he makes a trading voyage to ihe French 
Islands : — finds several friends at St Domingo. — Makes a fortunate 
voyage to Havana and returns to Baltimore, for another cargo. — He 
' sails again immediately for Cape Francois — sells his cargo at great 
profit: — dreadful state of things at the Cape : — battles between the in- 
habitants in the streets : — the town is fired : — women and children 
take refuge on board his ship : — he makes a daring attempt, and suc- 
ceeds in saving his property : — has to fight against both parties : — sails 
for St Marks : — is captured by three English Privateers : — retakes his 
ship — and brings her into Baltimore, .... 15S 



CHAPTER XIII. 

Historical Reflection. — Captain B. arms his ship to protect her from in- 
sult, and sails again for Cape Francois. — He makes a lucrative sale of 
his cargo : — departs forborne in company with a French Letter of Mar- 
que : — is captured by the British frigate Penelope : — ungentlemanly 
conduct of Captain Rowley. — B. is carried into Jamaica, and deliver- 
ed to the custody oi the Marshal : — civility of that officer : — bail is 
entered for him : — he is tried for ' Piracy' and ' shooting with intent 
to kill :' — abusive language of the lawyers : — he is acquitted : — great 

rejoicing among the crowded audience in the Court-house The 

Sampson and cargo condemned as lawful prize : — he enters an appeal. 
— Great interest felt by the government at home, on hearing of his 
capture and trial : — active measures taken by Washington to insure his 
safety : — his friends in Baltimore fit out a vessel — obtain letters from 
the British Minister to the Governor of Jamaica — and especial permis- 
sion from the government to go to his re'ief : — they arrive after his ac- 
quittal. — Cowardly demeanor of Captain Rowley. — Adventure in the 

public Coffee-House. — He sails from Jamaica with his friends : his 

adventure with an Embargo breaker : — safe arrival at Baltimore. He 

goes to Philadelphia :— calls a meeling of Ship masters : — their peti- 
tion to Congress. — Animadversions of his enemies. — He is appointedone 
of six Captains in the Navy :— is dissatisfied with the relative rank 
assigned him, and declines it:— his reasons for it explained :— rank in 
the revolutionary war. — His Bills on the French Consul-General not 
paid, he determines to go to France :— makes a contract for his Firm 
with Fouchet .- — sails in the ' Cincinnatus.'— Mr Monroe and family, 
and Mr Shipwith, take passage with him :— takes his son William with 
him-aniv:il at Havre : — reflections on the state of the country :— ar- 
rival at Pa.-is.— Mr Monroe appoints him to present the American Flag 
to the National Convention .—he receives frafernization :—\s oflTered 
a commission in the French Navy, but declines.— Ceremony of de- 



CONTENTS. ^"1 

positing the ashes of Rousseau in the Pantheon. — He is robbed of the 
Sword presented by Pennsylvania : — goes to Bordeaux : — settles his 
commercial engagements and returns to Paris : — adventures on the 
road. — Scarcity of fuel in Paris. — Anecdote of his landlord. — Ordi- 
nance respecting Bread : — anecdote of his Baker, . . 171 



CHAPTER XIV 



Brief historical Review. — A commission a third time offered to Barney, 
which he accepts : — is ordered to Holland : — takes his son with him, 
and sends him to the U. S. from Dunkirk. — Treaty between the Re- 
public and Helland: — recall of the French officers in consequence. — 
Commencement of Napoleon's career. — Barney purchases and fits out 
a Corsair : — his orders to her commander. — New organization of the 
Marine : — he is dissatisfied and resigns : — goes to Ostend, Flushing, 
and Havre de Grace : — great success of his Corsair .- — he purchases 
and fits out others in conjunction with several Americans — and returns 
to Paris. — The Minister of Marine offers to reappoint him, with the 
rank of Chef de Division : — he accepts — State of La Vendee : — 
character of General Hoche. — He proceeds to Roch fort : sails with 
two fiigates to take command of the West India station : — incidents of 
the voyage . — arrival at Cape Francois : — goes in pursuit of the Jamai- 
ca fleet : — vexatious conduct of a Spanish Admiral, in consequence 
of which the fleet escape him : — his indignation : — sickness of one of 
his crews: — narrow escape from a British Squadron. — Dreadful tem- 
pest: — distressing condition of himself and crews : — the two frigates 
are separated: — the Harmonic dismasted and almost wrecked: — af- 
fecting scene on her deck. — He speaks an American vessel for Balti- 
more : — agreeable disappointment — meets with the RaiUense dismast- 
ed : — they arrive at the Cape. — The Corsair : — remarks on the nature 
of Barney's orders : — defence against the calumny of his enemies. — 
He undertakes the culture of the sugar cane. — Anecdotes of Christo- 
phe — Toussaint L'Ouverture — Pierre Michael — Raiment. — Ciiaracter 
of Sonthonax — splendors of his establishment. — Personal aflair with 
Pascal. — Distressed state of the Island from the want of provisions. — 
He is solicited to take a contract for the supplies — accepts it — appoints 
an Agent to act for him in his absence — and sails with two frigates for 
the United States. — He arrives at Norfolk — state of his ships — he pro- 
ceeds to Baltimore : — meeting with his family. . . l9l 



CHAPTER XV 



Rapidity of the Commodore's movements. — He enters into sub-contracts 
with several Baltimore houses of the first standing : — sees several ves- 
sels despatched with provisions, under his Passports. — Difficulties of 
the French Minister Adet : — B. is persuaded to advance large sums 
for his relief — and takes the Consul General's Bills on the treasury at 
Paris. — He returns to Norfolk. — Recall of his friend Sonthonax : — fears 
excited as to the issue of his contracts. — Bad faith of the Baltimore 
Houses. — He makes additional contracts in Norfolk. — Delay in the 
repairs of his ships. — Arrival of an English squadron in Hampton 
Roads. — He sends a gallant challenge to the British Admiral, which is 
declined.^He succeeds in getting to sea :— his whole passage to the 
B 



IV CONTENTS 

West Indies beset with enemies : — the great skill and ingenuity with 
which he eludes them : — skirmish with a ship of the line and frigate. 
— He gets safely into Portde Paix : — leaves his ships there, and pro- 
ceeds in a small schooner to the Cape : — long illness after his arrival, 
the consequence of his great fatigue and watchfulness : — kind atten- 
tions of the black generals. — His frigates ordered to France. — Arriv- 
al of the new administratevrs ; — his difficulties with them in settling 
his contract. — He sails for France in a small Pilot-boat, with^a cargo 
of coffee : — takes a French general and his aid, as passengers : — their 
supply of water fails : — a dilemma : — humorous rencounter with a 
Portuguese trader : — arrival at Corunna, in Spain. — He orders the 
schooner to Bordeaux and travels by land — disagreeable journey to 
Bayonne. — His schooner arrives safe at Bordeaux : — he makes a for- 
tunate sale of his coffee — purchases a travelling carriage, and arrives 
at Paris. — Interview with his Banker — great amount of his advances — 
no receipts from the ti-easury. — Difficulty of procuring a settlement 
with the Directory : — great prevalence of bribery and corruption : — 
high command offered to quiet him. — Return of Bonaparte from Egypt 
— revolution of the 9th November — Consular government. — Vexa- 
tions of tiie Commodore : — villainy of his prize agents and partners. — 
Unexpected suit against him by the Bordeaux purchasers of his St 
Domingo claim :— heavy judgment obtained against him, through the 
corruption of the courts. — He is presented to the first Consul : — asks 
permission to resign, which is refused in a flattering manner: — be- 
comes a regular visitor at the Palace — attends Josephine's soirees — is 
politely treated by Napoleon — but gets no satisfactory answers to his 
demands for money. — Letter from La Fayette — his opinion of the peo- 
ple — and prediction of the result of the revolution— He renews his 
application for permission to resign : — receives a complimentary letter 
from the minister of marine — has a pension assigned him, which he 
does not accept — leaves his business in the hands of a friend — and 
embarks for the United States, . . . . 211 



CHAPTER XVI. 

Bad condition of the ship ' Neptune.' — She puts into Fayal for repairs. 
— Politeness of the American Consul there. — Difficulty of procuring 
)-equisite materials. — Trade winds. — Ignorance and obstinacy of the 
captain of the Neptune. — Storm off Cape Hatteras. — The Neptune 
sinks. — Passengeis and crew saved by a small schooner. — Exorbitant 
demand of her skipper for taking them into Hampton, — The Commo- 
dore arrives at Baltimore. — Retiections upon his past career: — calum- 
nies refuted. Disappointments in the settlement of his affairs : — active 
hostility of those whom he had most befriended : — baseness of his Sj; 
Domingo agent : — law suits. — His family. — Arrival of Jerome Bon^ 
parte and suite at Baltimore : — they take up their residence with the 
Commodore : — excursions through the country : — Jerome /ct/Zs in love : 
remonstrance and advice thrown away upon him : — his marriage. — 
Anecdotes of General Reubel. — Restoration of the value of ship 
Sampson and cargo. — The Commodore establishes his three sons in 
business with a large capital. — He,receives a large remittance from 
Paris : — ^becomes a candidate for Congress — his popularity in Baltimore 
proof against slander. — ' Chesapeake affair.' — He offers his services to 
Mr Jefferson. — Death of Mrs Barney. — He renews the offer of his '. 
services to Mr Madison. — His last commercial enterprise, — and its loss. 

He takes a second wife : — becomes again a candidate for Congress, 

and is a second time defeated, ... • 230 



CONTENTS. 



CHAPTER XVII. 



The Declaration of War finds him at his farm. — He enters once more 
into service. — Successful cruise of the ' Rossie' under his command. — 
Government gives him command of the Chesapeake flotilla. — Attempts 
of his personal enemies to excite the Government against him. — He 
calls his calumniator to the field. — He sails with a part of his flofilla: 
— meets the enemy at the mouth of Patuxent: — skirmish there : — he 
enters the river and takes post in St Leonard's Creek : — Is pursued by 
the Enemy, whose numerous attacks are gallantly repulsed : — battle 
of the 10th of June : — gallant exploit of Major Barney. — The enemy 
moor their ships at the mouth of the Creek. — Measures of the govern- 
ment to aid the flotilla. — Milifia — Regulars — Marines. — Battle of the 
26th of June : — gallantry of two young Volunteers. — The enemy aban- 
don the Creek and move off. — The flotilla ascend the Patuxent to Ben- 
edict. — Curious history of Wadsworth's Battery. — Measures planned 
for defence of Washington and Baltimore. — Flotilla moved up to Not- 
tingham. — The enemy advances up the river. — Barney orders the flo- 
tilla to he fired, and marches with his men to join General Winder. — 
' Battalion Old Field.' — The President and his Cabinet. — Retreat of the 
Army to Washington. — Barney stationed at the Anacostia Bridge : — 
prevails on the President to permit him to draw off his force from a 
useless service, to join the Amiy at Bladensburg. — ' Battle of Bladens- 
burg,' so called : — panic of the American troops : — brave .^tand of Bar- 
ney's command : — gallantry of his officers : — he is wounded, and, un- 
able to quit the field, falls into the hands of the enemy. — Anecdotes of 
Ross and Cockburn — Captain Wainwright — Sailors and ..Soldiers — af- 
fecting scene between the Commodore and one of his wounded men. 
— He is carried to Bladensburg. — The enemy retire from Washington. 
— Number of wounded and Guard left behind. — Arrival of the Com- 
modore's family : — he is carried to his farm, .... 250 



CHAPTER XVIII. 



The City of Washington presents a sword to Commodore Barney. — He 
is despatched with a Flag of Truce to the British Admiral. — Exchange 
of prisoners. — British writers. — Commodore Barney resumes command 
of the flotilla. — Debate in Congress, on a motion to indemnify the offi- 
cers and men of the flotilla for their losses. — Vote of thanks by the 
Legislature of Georgia. — Treaty of Peace. — The flotilla is disbanded. 
— The Commodore is sent with Despatches to Europe — unhappy ef- 
fects of the voyage upon his health — melancholy state of his mind. — 
He petitions the Legislature of Pennsylvania for authority to replace 
the sword stolen from him — his discontent and gloom. — Reflections 
upon the causes of his depression. — Anecdote of his arrest for debt and 
its consequences. — Example of his profuse hberality. — He makes a 
journey to Kentucky with his family — his account of it. — Public din- 
ners — Toasts — Speeches. — Legislative honors voted to him. — Town of 
Elizabeth — Settlers on his lands. — Curious account of a Survey and its 
results. — Satisfactory termination of his labors and difficulties, . 270 



Xvi CONTENTS. 



CHAPTER XIX. 

Comiiiodoie B. returns to the retirement ol his farm on Elk Ridge — 
prepares for his removal to the West. — Death of the Naval Officer at 
Baltimore. — Commodore B. is appointed to the vacant office — removes 
with his family to Baltimore — constitutes his son William his Deputy. — 
Reflection on his appointment — He makes another visit to Kentucky 

accomplishes his arrangements for removal thither — disposes of his 

Elk Ridge farm. — Last interview with his son William — ' British in- 
fluence' defined. — He leaves Baltimore with all his family. — Deten- 
tion at Brownsville. — He embarks for Pittsburg — his illness — Death — 
and character, . . • • . , . 292 



APPENDIX, 303 



MEMOIR 



OF 



COMMODORE BARNEY 



CHAPTER I. 

A brief Account of the Parentage, F^irth, and Education of Joshua Barney. — His 
early choice of a sea life. — Reluctant consent of his Parents to his adoption 
of that profession. — He commences his career in a Pilot-boat — Is after- 
wards apprenticed to his brother-in-law ; and makes a Voyage to Cork and 
Liverpool. — Visits Dublin, sees a Review in the Park — and returns to Balti- 
more, with a number of Irish Emigrants. — ' Redemptioners.' 

In the republic of the United States, where, by the consti- 
tution and laws, all men are acknowledged to be equal, the 
study of genealogy is but litUe cultivated, or regarded ; and, 
though nothing can be more certain than that every man must 
have had progenitors, whose several generations — if the Mo- 
saic account of the creation be admitted — extend to the same 
remoteness of antiquity, there are few who give themselves 
the trouble to search out the links of conne.Kion, and still 
fewer, perhaps, in whose possession are to be found any au- 
thentic records of their descent. The brief notices which fol- 
low, are all that we have been able to collect, of the lineage of 
the subject of these memoirs. 

William Barney, the grandfather, was sent from England 
by an uncle, at the early age of fourteen years, to seek his 
fortune, according to the phrase of the time, in the British Col- 
onies of North America. Of his parents nothing certain is 
known ; but it is presumed, from the circumstance of his 
being then under the control of an uncle, that they were both 
dead at the period of his leaving England : and, from the fact 
that he came recommended, by that uncle, to some of the most 
respectable inhabitants of the province of Maryland, it may be 
1 



■* MEMOIR OF 

further inferred, that the family was of some consideration in 
the mother country. The young emigrant himself entertain- 
ed a belief that his father had possessed an independent estate ; 
and that, in sending him abroad, the uncle had been actuated 
by interested and sinister motives. It is certain that he came to 
the new world much against his will, and that he would have gone 
back in the same ship when she returned to England, if his 
wishes had prevailed ; but her commander, who had probably 
received orders to that effect from the uncle, refused to receive 
him on board. This event took place about the year 1695; 
and as, at that period, it seldom occurred that more than one 
ship from the mother country visited the colony during the 
year, the youthful adventurer had time to reconcile himself to 
the destiny forced upon him ; and before the next annual ar- 
rival he had lost all desire to measure back the distance that 
separated him from the land of his fathers. He delivered his 
letters of recommendation ; was put into the way of making 
his living; and, by a course of industry and good conduct, soon 
attained that degree of independence and general consideration 
in the community, which enabled him to form a respectable and 
advantageous connexion by marriage. The fruit of this mar- 
riage was one son, upon whom he bestowed his own name of 
William, and to whom, at his death, he left what was called in 
those economical days, a ' handsome fortune.' 

This son, of whose early life no legend or tradition has de- 
scended to us, formed a matrimonial alliance with an heiress of 
large property, by the name of Frances Holland Watts — a 
lady as rich in all the virtues which give lustre to the name of 
wife, and mother, as in the gifts of fortune. A host of competi- 
tors contended for the honor of her hand, and it is no slight 
evidence of the good character of William Barney, that he 
won the prize. 

It has been asserted by some philosophers, who are fond of 
diving into the mysteries of nature, that the vis generatrix is as 
much an hereditary idiocracy as gout, scrofula, or any other 
of the numerous diseases, which patho'ogical ignorance is 
prone to ascribe to ancestral taint. But in the union of the 
fecund pair we have just named, there is a strong argument 
against the truth, if not a direct confutation of this hypothe- 
sis; they were the only offspring of their respective parents, 
arid yet from their union there sprung no less than fourteen 
children. 

At the time of his marriage, and for several years afterwards, 
William Barney resided in the town of Baltimore, then a very 



COMMODORE BARNEV. 



inconsiderable village of scarcely a dozen houses ; but as his 
family began to exhibit suc'i unequivocal proofs of resjDCCt for 
the great precept of the Creator, he very wisely determined to 
give them more ample room to ' increase and multiply,' and 
for this purpose removed them to a farm, about eight miles from 
town, on * Bare Creek' — in that part of the county of Bal- 
timore known by the name of Patapsco Neck. Here Mr 
Barney continued to reside, happy in the enjoyment of all the 
blessings of domestic life, until the year 1772, when by one of 
those melancholy accidents the effects of which we are so often 
called upon to deplore, but which no experience will ever teach 
imprudent man to avoid, his existence was suddenly termina- 
ted. One of his younger children had been indulged with per- 
mission to play with an old pistol, which had been found among 
die rubbish of a lumber-room: it was 'of course' not suppos- 
ed to be loaded, and therefore ' no possible danger' could be 
apprehended from letting the child amuse himself with it ; but 
alas ! how mysterious and inscrutable are the operations of 
Providence, — the ' harmless amusement' of the child was 
pregnant with the fate of the father — the pistol was fired, and 
its unsuspected contents lodged in the bosom of the fond and 
too indulgent parent. He survived the accident but two days, 
and was thus taken from his family in the meridian of life ; for 
he had not yet attained his fiftythird year. 

Joshua Barney was one of the fourteen children of William 
and Frances Holland Barney. He was born on the 
1759 sixth day of July, 1759, a year or two before the fam- 
ily was removed to Bare Creek — so that the city of 
Baltimore, which became afterwards his chosen residence, was 
also the place of his nativity. Almost as soon as he could walk 
and talk, he was sent along with his elder brothers to a common 
school in the vicinity of the farm. We have not been able to 
collect a single authentic anecdote of this period of his life ; 
nor has he himself left us anything upon record, in which the 
fondest inquirer into such matters could discern the germ of the 
future hero, or trace in the ' sayings and doings' of the boy the 
conduct and character of the man. AH is a blank. ^ One 
thing, however, seems to be certain — the same restless activity 
of disposition, the same eagerness to press onward in the career 
of life, which afterwards characterized him, were conspicuous 
traits of his early years. 

He quitted school at the age of ten years, in the full persua- 
sion that he had acquired all the education necessary 
1769 t,o fit him for the profession which he had already de- 



^ MEMOIR OP 

termined upon adopting. Nor will it be accounted strange, 
or imputed to him as an evidence of very egregious vanity, 
that he should entertain this proud opinion of his preco- 
city, when it is understood that he was in all respects par ma- 
gisiro — or, to use his own words, that he had ' learnt every- 
thing the master could teach ;' which meant, according to the 
same authority, that he ' could write a good hand, and perfectly 
understood Arithmetic !' Long before this period, he had wea- 
ried his father by continued entreaties into a reluctant promise, 
that he might ' go to sea' as soon as he was old enough to take 
care of himself; and he now fancied himself in the condition 
to claim the fulfilment of the promise. But his father thought 
otherwise — and the mother was still less willing to think him 
either ' old enough,' or big enough, to buflet with the rude and 
boisterous element. It was therefore determined between the 
parents, that, since Joshua was ' done schooling,' he should be 
sent to a ' Retail-Store' in Baltimore, if only to ' keep him out 
of mischief;' and it was hoped, on the part of the mother at 
least, that, in the course of time, his prepossession in favor of 
the sea might be transferred to the less dangerous occupation of 
the counter. But who that had once conceived a wish to em- 
brace the bold, adventurous, roaming life of a sailor, ever yet 
contented himself with the dull, lazy, feminine employment of 
measuring cloth and calico by the yard ? 

In pursuance, then, of this decision of the domestic powers, 
against which there was no appeal, Joshua was inducted, not 
without some litde mortification, into the shop of a respectable 
retailer of dry goods, in Baltimore. It so fell out, however, that 
the gendeman who was thus selected to initiate him in the mys- 
teries of trade, in less than three months after that event, either 
from disappointment, weariness of business, or some other equal- 
ly cogent motive, 'broke up his establishment,' and engaged 
in some other pursuit. This threw young Barney once more 
into the home circle, and furnished, as he thought, a favorable 
occasion to renew his solicitations to be sent to sea; but the 
lapse of a few months had done so little towards removing the 
former objection, that his ardent aspirations were doomed to ex- 
perience a second disappointment. His father had a friend, 
engaged in a brisk and active business at Alexandria — a city 
which was then thought to rival Philadelphia in the extent and 
importance of its commerce— who about this time expressed 
a desire to have, 'just such a lad as Joshua,' in his counting- 
house : the opportunity was eagerly embraced, and Joshua was 
sent without delay to his new master in the Old Dominion. 



COMMODORE BARNEY. ^ 

Here he remained, with such stock of patience as a boy of his 
age and temperament, working ' against the grain,' may be 
supposed to possess, until the Christmas Holidays of 1770 — 
when he received permission to visit his parents, and spend that 
season of fun and festivity with tlie family group. 

If any of our readers should, perchance, belong to that class 
whom the gifted bard of Scotland addressed under the style of 
* The unco i(iiid, or the rigidly righteous,^ we are sorely afraid 
that young Barney will lose all chance of becoming a favorite 
with them, by his conduct on the occasion of this home visit. 
If we were writing a romance, or the history of' man as he ought 
to be,' we should probably send our hero back to Alexandria, 
to drudge out his teens in the calculation of pounds, shillings, 
and pence — merely because leave of absence for a specified 
time may be understood to imply an obligation to return ; but 
we are writing a biography of ' man as he is,' and as faithful 
chroniclers, we must ' nothing extenuate,' nor varnish over what 
in its true coloring might be called a fault. 

After the merriments of Christmas were over, and the New- 
Year had been hailed with its accustomed greetings, 
1771 and the various individuals of the social meeting were 
preparing to return to their several avocations, Joshua 
proved recreant — he peremptorily refused to resume his station 
at Alexandria without compulsion, and this he well knew neither 
father nor mother was ever disposed to use. It had been well 
understood between the father and his Alexandria friend, that 
the former was under a promise to gratify the wishes of his son 
in the choice of profession, and that the counting-house was to 
be considered as nothing more than a preparatory school ; so 
that, in truth, no obligation, either express or implied, was viola- 
ted by Joshua's refusing to return, and the father subjected him- 
self to no censure from the merchant in giving way to his son's 
pertinacity. He had been almost a year at Alexandria — a long 
and irksome period to him — during which time his attention to 
his duties, his industry, and the alacrity with which he obeyed 
all the commands of his employers, had been as faithful and un- 
remitting as if his highest ambition had been limited to the ac- 
quisition of commercial knowledge. But he was so far from 
being weaned from his ' first love,' that every moment more 
and more firmly convinced him, that the hand of destiny beck- 
oned him to the ocean. He was now in his twelfth year ; had 
advanced considerably in stature and manly appearance ; and 
had shown that he was capable of taking care of himself, or at 
1* 



O MEMOIR OF 

least that a mother's tenderness and attention were no longer 
indispensable to his comfort and welfare. All these considera- 
tions, however, scarcely lessened the pain of his parents when 
the moment of decision came ; but it was impossible to with- 
stand his daily prayers and entreaties, and the long-wished-for 
consent was at length given. 

In the beginning of the year 1771, young Barney, full of 
gratitude to his parents, and nobly resolving that his future ca- 
reer should justify their indulgence, entered on board a Pilot- 
boat — a class of vessels for which Baltimore has since become 
famous all over the world. The licensed pilot who command- 
ed her was an old friend of his father, and well known as an 
expert and accomplished seaman. That he might be left free 
to discontinue or pursue the life of a sailor, as his feelings might 
incline him, after a fair trial of its pleasures and its hardships, 
his father delayed his purpose of placing him under articles of 
apprenticeship, and contented himself with the promise of the 
pilot to give him every chance of instruction in the affairs of 
his profession. He continued under the fatherly care of this 
old seaman, making occasional excursions beyond the Capes, 
until the autumn of this year, when, as he had lost none of his 
fondness for the billows, hut on the contrary seemed to be con- 
firmed in his predilection, it was deemed advisable by his father 
that he should be permanently provided for in some more suita- 
ble vessel. One of his elder sisters had been married, some 
years before, to a Captain Thomas Drysdale, who commanded 
a small brig in the Liverpool trade, and happened at this time 
to be in port. The chance of placing him under the guardian- 
ship of one so closely connected with the family, was thought 
to be too desirable to be neglected ; and Joshua was forthwith 
apprenticed to his brotlier-in-law. 

In January, 1772, oin- sailor boy, proud of the title, and 
already dreaming of future glories, embarked on his 
1772 first regular voyage. The season was cold and tem- 
pestuous, and the brig, after many severe struggles 
which might have shaken the courage of less resolved hearts, 
arrived safely in the Cove of Cork. The impression which 
was made upon young Bai'ney by the first glimpse he obtain- 
ed of a foreign land, was deep and powerful ; when his atten- 
tion was called to a dim, cloudy speck, scarce visible in the dis- 
tant horizon, and was told that that was the Head of Kinsale, on 
the coast of Ireland, he felt for the first time as if alone in a 
world of strangers — a sigh escaped him as he remembered his 
peaceful home, his affectionate parents, his long list of brothers 



COMMODORE BARNEY. ' 

and sisters — but he shook off the enervating emotion; his 
mind seemed to spring at once into the vigor of maturity ; and 
from that moment he was a man in everything but years. As 
soon as the brig had cast anchor, he obtained permission of 
his captain to go ashore and see the ancient city of Cork ; but 
it does not appear that he met with anything to captivate his 
attention, or that he was much gratified by the visit. After a 
detention of two days at Cork, the brig was despatched by the 
consignees to Liverpool, where she arrived in safety. The no- 
ble docks of this great commercial emporium attracted the 
especial regards of our young enthusiast, and all the leisure 
which the morose and tyrannical disposition of his master allow- 
ed him, was spent in examining their construction and investi- 
gating their uses. 

Alter the delivery of the cargo to the owners in Liverpool, 
the brig was unexpectedly sold, and Barney was sent off in a 
packet to Dublin, for the purpose of securing a passage for 
himself and master in a vessel bound thence to Baltimore. He 
remained long enough in Dublin, before he was rejoined by his 
captain, to see all its magnificent shows, and to be charmed 
with the hospitality and kindness of its inhabitants. But what 
more than all excited his admiration, and awakened the natural 
chivalry of his spirit, during his sojourn here, was a review of 
troops, consisting of five thousand infantry and a thousand 
horse, at which he had the good fortune to be present, in the 
splendid Park of Dublin. He spoke of it as ' one of the 
finest sights in \he world,' little dreaming that he was destined, 
at no very distant period, to be himself tlie hero of scenes of 
which this was but the shadowy rehearsal. Shortly after this 
exhibition in the Park, which was rendered still more imposing 
by the presence of the Vice-regal cortege and all the nobility 
and fashion of Dublin, Captain Drysdale arrived from Liver- 
pool ; and the vessel in which they had taken passage being 
ready to proceed to sea, they lost no time in getting on board. 
To the great annoyance of young Barney, who was not pre- 
viously aware of the character of the ship, he found every pari 
of her stuffed almost to suffocation with 'Irish Redemptioners, 
men and women,' who were to be his compagnons du voyage. 

As the term ' Redemptioner,' together with the practice which 
rendered hs coinage necessary, has been gradually becoming 
obsolete for the last twenty years, it may not perhaps be un- 
acceptable to some of our younger readers to receive a brief 
explanation of its meaning and application. The ' milk and 
honey' with which the new continent was described by its 



8 MEMOIR OF COMMODORE BARNEY. 

early settlers as ' flowing,' very naturally stimulated the craving 
appetites of all who found it difficult to procure such, or any 
other, food at home ; and crowds of the half-famished pea- 
santry of Europe, particularly of Ireland and Germany, flock- 
ed to the nearest sea-ports, ready at any sacrifice to purchase 
transportation to the land of plenty. Being for the most part 
destitute of money, friends, or influence, to procure for them 
•what they so eagerly sought, they were compelled to submit to 
such conditions as the cupidity or the humanity, as the case 
might be, of the masters or owners of the vessels about to un- 
dertake the voyage, might dictate ; and it became common for 
them to enter into contract, or indentures, the validity of which 
was afterwards recognised and confirmed by legislative enact- 
ment in several of the colonies — by which they bound them- 
selves as slaves to the master or owner, and upon their arrival 
in the land of their hopes, submitted to be sold at auction to 
the highest bidder for a term of years, longer or shorter, as the 
buyer and seller might agree. Whole families were thus sold, 
and often separated among several purchasers. The money 
obtained by the sale was received by the master or owner of the 
. vessel in payment of the expenses of transportation ; and when 
tlie miserable emigrants had faithfully completed their terms 
of servitude, they were set free, to roam through the country 
in search of relatives, friends and a living : — thus tiiey paid 
the price of emigration, and redeemed themselves from the 
obligations of their contract. It may be added, much to the 
honor of these ' Redem.ptioners,' that many of their descend- 
ants are now among the most respected citizens of the United 
States. 

During the voyage from Dublin, young Barney, though only 
a passenger in the vessel, did constant duty with the crew, and 
labored diligently to increase his stock of information in all the 
branches of his profession. From some indications of a riot- 
ous disposition among the ' Redemptioners,' considerable ap- 
prehensions were at one time entertained, that they might 
attempt to overpower the crew and seize possession of the 
vessel; during the whole period of this alarm, Barney never 
left the deck, but watched with unremitting vigilance every 
movement of the rioters, and held himself prepared to assist 
in repelling the first demonstration of mutiny, with all the cool- 
ness and intrepidity of a veteran. But if such a design was at 
any time contemplated, it was abandoned as impracticable, and 
the ship reached her port in safety. 



CHAPTER II. 



Barney visits Home — finds the Family in affliction — is suddenly recalled to hia 
duties — makes several voyages. — Captain Drysdale dies at sea. — Young 
Barney assumes the Command, before he is sixteen. — The alarming condi- 
tion of his Ship. — He puts into Gibraltar — His energetic conduct ihere. — 
He arrives at Nice — has a dispute with his Merchants and the Governor — 
is imprisoned — displays great Firmness of Mind — visits the British Ambas- 
sador at Milan, and obtains prompt redress. — The Governor's obsequious 
deportment to him. — Me arrives at Alicant — is detained in the service of 
the Count O'Reilly's celebrated Expedition against Algiers — his Account of 
of that disgraceful affair. — He sails for Baltimore — is boarded by a British 
Sloop of War, and informed of the Battle of Bunker's Hill — his impatience 
to join the ' Rebels' — his arrival — and reception by the owner of ihe ship. 

There is perhaps no disposition altogether so frigid in its 
nature, particularly in the outset of life, as not to be susceptible 
of some glow of enthusiasm in the anticipations, which the 
recollection of home produces, on the return from a first voy- 
age to distant, foreign lands. If the youthful adventurer have 
left behind him parents, brothers and sisters — companions and 
friends of his childhood — he feels certain that his return will 
be welcomed with the kiss of affection ; that he will find an 
attentive and delighted auditory to his ' thousand and one' tales 
of wonder ; that every ' peril of waters, winds and rocks,' 
which he has encountered — and every marvel which he has 
seen or heard — will have its charm as he recounts it to the 
beloved circle at home. — And who is the traveller, young or 
old, who does not like to meet with those who will ' with 
greedy ear devour up his discourse ? ' Half the enjoyment of 
every wanderer consists in the anticipated pleasure of telling 
what he has seen, when he returns. 

Our young sailor indulged in all these anticipations, with a 
warmth of feeling proportioned to the natural fervor of his 
character. Eager as he had shown himself to quit the pater- 
nal roof, he was nevertheless tenderly attached to every mem- 
ber of his family, and he looked forward to the moment when 
he should again embrace them, with a light and joyous heart. 
In five minutes after he had jumped on shore from the Dublin 



10 



MEMOIR OF 



ship, he was on the well rernemhered road to the farm at Bare 
Creek. But what a shock to his affectionate heart awaited 
him there ! The afflictive dispensation of Providence which 
we have already related, had occurred but a (ew days before 
his arrival, and he found his sorrowing mother and family 
plunged in the deepest grief. The sudden and unexpected 
appearance of her beloved and long absent son, turned the 
current of feeling, and, for a brief moment, the mother forgot 
her wo as she strained him to her heart. But she was not per- 
mitted long to enjoy this solace; the young apprentice had 
scarcely time to exchange greetings with his early companions, 
or to revisit the haunts of his childhood, before he was recalled 
to his nautical duties. Captain Drysdale had been appointed 
to the command of a large ship, within a few days after his 
arrival — she was then ready to take in a cargo; and the ser- 
vices of his young brother-in-law were too useful, on such an 
occasion, to be dispensed with by one whose feelings were 
always under the command of his interest. 

From this period to the close of the year 1774, we find but 

little of interest in the papers before us. Several 
1774 voyages were made, to Cadiz, Genoa, Liverpool, and 

other ports in Europe, in all of which Barney's schol- 
astic attainments — writing and arithmetic — were kept in con- 
stant exercise : he kept the logbook, corrected all the calcula- 
tions, and had charge of all the ship's accounts, in addition to 
his nautical labors, and thus fortunately for him passed but 
litde idle time. After the first of these voyages, he was found 
to have acquired so much proficiency in all the duties of a 
seaman, that he was advanced to the rank of second mate, 
with the approbadon v;f the owners, though he was at the time 
but fourteen years old. It appears, however, that he was not 
permitted to enjoy the emoluments attached to his rank, which 
went into the pockets of his avaricious and surly master. But 
of this, Barney had certainly no right to complain, since, if we 
are not mistaken, it is the universal custom for masters to re- 
ceive the wages earned by their apprentices, though a portion 
of it may sometimes be given up as a matter of favor and 
encouragement ; and he would probably not have thought the 
fact worth recording, if he had been treated in other respects 
with kindness or common civility — but, notwithstanding the 
great profit which in more than one sense Captain Drysdale 
derived from his services, his conduct towards his young 
brother-in-law (to use his own words) ' was always very severe 
and brutal.' It rarely happens otherwise, where family con- 



COMMODORE BARNEY. 11 

nexions enter into the additional relation of master and appren- 
tice — the one generally expects a greater degree of indulgence 
than strict justice will admit, while the other, perhaps, too often 
exercises his double authority with a double portion of rigor, 
to avoid the censure of partiality from other apprentices. But 
as Barney was not the only individual on board Drysdale'g 
ship, who found occasion to complain of his tyranny and ill 
treatment, we have no right to believe that his character of the 
man is overcharged or prejudiced : Drysdale's temper was 
no doubt naturally violent and despotic ; and the command of 
a ship is proverbially apt to render the gentlest temper a little 
savage. 

On the 22d of December, 1774, Captain Drysdale sailed 
from Baltimore, with a valuable cargo of wheat, for Nice, then 
a dependency of the Kingdom of Sardinia. The ship had 
scarcely cleared the Capes of Virginia before she sprung a 
leak, and upon examination it was discovered that her pump- 
well had sustained a serious damage, which it would be impos- 
sible to repair at sea. This determined the captain to put back, 
and run the ship into Norfolk. Here it became necessary, so 
rapidly did the leak increase, to discharge a portion of the 
cargo. Such a disaster, at the commencement of a voyage, 
was enough to discompose the calmest nature ; and we may 
well suppose, that it did not fail to have its fullest effect upon 
the irritability of Captain Drysdale. Whether any blame of 
neglect or oversight was justly imputable to either of the mates, 
or whether the occurrence was one of those latent and myste- 
rious operations of Providence by which human destiny is gov- 
erned, it appears that the ire of the captain, with or without 
cause, fell upon the first mate : — this officer, it seems, was not 
of a disposition to bear reproof, in the rough and insulting 
language in which it was the pleasure of the captain to deal 
it out ; he retorted ; a quarrel ensued ; and the result was that 
the first mate left the ship. His place was not supplied — the 
ship went to sea — a kw days afterwards Captain Drysdale 

was taken ill, and died in a week — and our young 
1775 apprentice was thus left, on the midst of the wide 

Atlantic, to his own untried, unassisted, energies. 
The responsibility attached to the government and guardian- 
ship of a large crew, a valuable cargo, and a leaky ship, is, 
under the most favorable circumstances, one of awful consider- 
ation : the most callous and experienced commander, suddenly 
and unexpectedly thrown upon his sole resources, where the 
care, and the toil, and the accountability, had before been 



12 MEMOIR OP 

shared with others, would hardly maintain a perfect tranquillity, 
on such an occasion. But all these sources of anxiety and 
perturbation now pressed upon the bosom of a lad not yet 
sixteen years of age ! To minds of ordinary grasp and ex- 
pansion, the situation in which young Barney was placed would 
have been appalling : the novelty and magnitude of the charge 
would have been overwhelming. There was not another indi- 
vidual on board above the rank, or ordinary character, of a 
common sailor — not one with whom he could consult, or 
associate ; or whose advice would have benefited him, on any 
exigency beyond the immediate sphere of a seaman's labors : — 
the ship was old, and, notwithstanding the recent repairs made 
upon her at Norfolk, still leaked to an alarming degree. But 
Barney was neither dismayed by the additional weight of care 
and responsibility which thus devolved upon him, nor depressed 
by the perilous condition of the ship ; he neither shrunk from 
the one, nor gave way to despondence at the contemplation of 
the other. On the contrary, his courage rose with the occa- 
sion ; with a noble daring, worthy of his future fame, he assum- 
ed the command of the ship on the instant; and determined, at 
every hazard, to pursue the voyage originally marked out for 
his deceased master. The crew (who were probably deceived, 
by an appearance of maturity and a manliness of deportment 
and action much above his years, into a belief that he was 
much older than he really was), submitted to his orders with a 
respectful alacrity of obedience — which is not always yielded 
even to age and experience, particularly under the loose disci- 
pline of the merchant service ; and testified by their conduct 
on all occasions the most implicit confidence in his nautical skill 
and qualifications. 

Remembering the saying of the wisest man of the world — 
that ' in muUitude of counsellors there is safety' — as we re- 
flected upon the situation of Barney on this occasion, we could 
not help regarding the fact, that there was not a man among 
his crew capable of aiding him with his counsel, as one of the 
most serious evils of his position. But however true this axiom 
may be in its general application to human affairs, we are in- 
duced to believe there are cases in which safety lies in the 
absence of all advisers ; and that which at first view we looked 
upon as a misfortune, was perhaps under Providence the bright 
spot in Barney's fortune. If the crew had been differently 
composed, and there had been among them any who could 
have fancied themselves intellectually superior or equal to the 
stripling who assumed the sole direction of all, it is hardly to 



COMMODORE BARNEY. 



13 



be questioned that bis authority would have been disputed, the 
propriety of his orders canvassed, comparisons of competency- 
made, and his command in the end controlled, or himself per- 
haps deposed. But all were alike conscious of inferiority, and 
the principle of self-preservation operated upon each to render 
the subordination complete. 

The first care of the young commander was, of course, to 
pay the accustomed funeral honors to the remains of his de- 
ceased captain and brother-in-law. To suppose that he felt 
any inordinate grief at the death of one who had never treat- 
ed him with kindness, would be absurd and unnatural ; but he 
remembered that the deceased had been the husband of his 
sister, and as he committed the body to the deep, he dropped a 
tear of heartfelt sympathy for an event that made her a widow. 
— This melancholy duty over, he began to look to the condi- 
tion of the siiip ; every day brought with it new dangers — the 
leak increased so rapidly that incessant labor at the pumps was 
found insufficient to keep her free, and it became necessary, in 
addition, to employ several of the hands in the constant toil of 
bailing with buckets from the fore-peak and after-run. To add 
to their perils, as they entered the passage into the Mediterra- 
nean, a severe gale came on — the two seas forced their huge 
billows agaiihst each other as if determined to bar all further 
intercourse between them — the struggling ship heaved and 
groaned, like some living, agonized monster, as she labored 
to mount the swell — opposing waves at every moment threat- 
ened to «ngulph her in their yawning abyss; and the stoutest 
heart on board began to look at each recurring surge with less 
and less of hope. 

To attempt to gain the port of Nice, even should they 
weather the storm, with a ship in such condition, would have 
been an act of madness — Gibraltar was within sight and offer- 
ed the only hope of safety. Barney therefore determined to 
bear up for that port, which by the blessing of Providence they 
reached, after infinite distress and suffering, at the critical mo- 
ment of their fate — in one hour more, the ship must inevitably 
have gone down. The moment he thought it possible for him 
to gain the shore in his boat, he ordered it lowered down, and 
with four of his men proceeded to seek such aid as the emer- 
gency required. He had hardly rowed beyond bail of the 
ship, when he perceived that those left on board had hoisted a 
signal of distress, and that she was visibly sinking. This de- 
termined him to change his original purpose, and instead of 
proceeding to the landing, he boarded several of the ships that 
2 



14 



MEMOIR t P 



were lying in the harbor, and making his situation known, pro- 
cured immediate assistance to be sent to his men. Thus assur- 
ing their present safety, he steered again for the shore, where 
he found access to the proper authorities, and obtained permis- 
sion to bring his ship into the New Mole or King's Dock.. 

Having happily accomplished these initial measures U>^'ards 
providing for the safety of his charge, he next made application 
to the Vice-Admiralty Court, by petition, to appoint a commiii- 
sion of survey on his ship. The prayer of the petition was 
granted without difficulty ; and upon the report of the survey- 
ors, the Court subsequently ordered a part of the cargo to be 
discharged. It appeared, fortunately, upon the furlher exami- 
nation which this enabled the surveyors to make, that the cargo 
had sustained but very little damage ; but as to the ship, it was 
found that very extensive repairs would be necessary, to put 
her in a fit condition to pursue her voyage — and that several 
months would probably be consumed in the work. 

Here then was another call upon the mental energies of our 
youthful commander: — the danger to life excepted, the di- 
lemma in which he was now called upon to act, was m.ore cal- 
culated to perplex and dismay him than the worst he had yet 
encountered. He was in a ibreign port, surrounded by entire 
strangers, who might be interested in giving him wrong advice : 
he appeared as commander of a ship on the Rol de? Equipage 
of which he was rated as an ' apprentice,' and with nothing 
but the log-book, wi)ich was in his own writing, to exhibit 
in confirmation of his claim ; he was totally ignoram of the 
character of the owners at home, and equally unacquainted 
with that of the consignees abroad ; — with a cargo liable to 
perish from the leak in the vessel, on tl;e one hand ; or in dan- 
ger of being swallowed up in the expense of stopping that 
leak, on the other. What to decide ? should he remain inac- 
tive until he could write home and receive orders ? or should 
he act for himself, and add to the weight of accountability al- 
ready upon his shoulders by incurring a heavy debt ? And again ; 
if he decided to venture upon the expense, and delay of repairs, 
would it be best to discharge his crew, in whom he had confi- 
dence and who had proved by their conduct that they reposed 
equal confidence in him, and take the risk of shipping another 
when they should be wanted, who might not prove to be so sub- 
missive and obedient — or retain them, at whatever cost ? — 
These were important matters of deliberation, and as puzzling 
as they were important, to one of so little experience. His 
final decision was probably that which the soundest judgment 



COMMODORE BARNEV. 



15 



and discretion would have made, in like circumstances ; but it 
is hardly to be doubted, that he owed his immunity from censure 
less to the good sense of his decision, than to the good fortune 
which stamped it with the sanction of ultimate success. 

When he had taken this resolution, it became necessary to 
seek the acquaintance of some commercial house, who might be 
willing, upon the only security which he could offer, to make the 
advances that would be required .to pay for the repairs and 
the support of himself and crew. He called for this puipose 
upon the respectable firm of ' Murray and Son,' and having de- 
livered ihem a ' round, unvarnished tale,' of his troubles and 
embarrassments, finished by asking them to become his bank- 
ers. With a kind and friendly promptitude that evinced the 
benevolence of their character, and sunk deep into the warm 
heart of young Barney, these gentlemen at once expressed 
their willingness to help him through his difficulties, and to 
make all required advances ; and as a commencement of their 
agency, the junior partner accompanied him forthwith to place 
the ship in the hands of the proper workmen. Thus was one 
heavy load of anxiety taken from his mind. 

With all the industry and diligence that could be exerted by 
the carpenters, overlooked as they were by the constant vigi- 
lance of Barney, three months expired before the ship was 
pronounced ready for sea. The advances made by Alessrs 
Murray and Son during this time, amounted to seven hundred 
pounds sterling — an enormous sum in those days, and likely 
to hang with the weight of a millstone around the neck of the 
unauthorized prodigal, if he should live to present himself before 
the American owners ! But it was too late now to hang back 

— the thing was done ; and all that remained, was to complete 
his security to the mercliants. He executed a Bottomry Bond 
to the Messrs Murray, according to agreement, making it ' pay- 
able ten days after arrival at Nice,' and the renovated ship was 
delivered up to him. 

- Notwithstanding the friendly readiness wnth which IMessrs 
Murray and Son had opened their purse to the young stranger, 
and accepted the security offered for reimbursement, there was 
probably some slight apprehension on their part, seeing that the 
advances had far exceeded the original calculations of either 
party, — an apprehension which was certainly very natural and 
excusable under the circumstances, and which was not at all 
inconsistent with the purest character of benevolence — that it 
might not be altogether safe or prudent to trust the ship out of 
their sight, in the hands of one so young and legally irresponsi- 



16 



MEMOIR OP 



ble. Whether from this apprehension, however, or some other 
motive wholly unconnected with the transaction, Mr Murray, 
Junior, proposed to take passage with Barney to Nice — an ar- 
rangement with which, in whatever it originated, the latter was 
not only content, but in the highest degree gratified and delight- 
ed, as it insured to him the continued society of an accomplished 
gentleman, and promised the further benefit of a proper intro- 
duction to the merchants at Nice to whom his cargo was consign- 
ed and belonged. 

Thus were the first perils and difficulties of the voyage over- 
come ; and, with a lightened heart, exulting in the victory over 
hazards and obstacles under which most inexperienced youths 
would have succumbed in despair, our 'captain,' — we may 
now certainly give him that title, for no man ever more richly 
merited it — accompanied by his friend Mr Murray, took leave 
of Gibraltar, and stood for his original port of destination. On 
arriving at Nice, it was unexpectedly found that the ship's draught 
was too great for the depih of water in the harbor, and they were 
compelled to put into Villa Franca, a small port two miles to 
the eastward. Here the two gentlemen landed, and proceeded 
immediately to visit' the owners of the cargo at Nice. They 
were politely received, and Barney took care before he left 
them to procure their assumption of the payment of his Bond 
at the time specified, and thus relieve his ship from the obliga- 
tion of the Bottomry. The merchants made no difficulty what- 
ever in giving their promise ; and in full reliance upon their 
good faith, and believing that all his difficulties were now sur- 
mounted, Barney returned to his ship, and began forthwith to 
discharge, and send round in Ughiers, so much of the cargo as 
was sufficient to reduce the ship's draught, and enable him to 
take her into Nice. By the time this purpose was accomplished 
the ten days after arrival had elapsed; and following the Jew's 
advice to 'look to his bond,' though not a shadow of doubt had 
crossed his mind as to the honorable character of those with 
whom he had to deal, he called upon the merchants ' merely to 
make inquiry.' But how was he astonished, disappointed, and 
chagrined, to learn, that instead of redeeming the pledge they 
had made to him with such readiness and apparent sincerity, 
they not only had not paid, but peremptorily refused to pay, a 
single ducat of the money! 

These Nicene dealers in quirks and quibbles had, probably, 
in the progress of the 'ten days,' consuhed their men of law, 
and been advised by them, that neither they nor the ship could 
be legally held responsible for the contracts of a minor, and ap- 



COMMODORE BARNEV, 



17 



prentice. But such law, if such law there were, formed no 
part of the code by which young Barney had resolved to regu- 
late his intercourse with the world. He could not understand 
the subtilties of distinction between law and justice : he regard- 
ed his word to Mr Murray to the full as binding upon him as 
the most legally unexceptionable bond : he had given what he 
honestly intended to be an available security upon the ship^s 
bottom; and so long as he was recognised as the master, he 
would consider her as liable for the debt contracted — and upon 
the failure of other means of payment, he would instantly have 
delivered her up to Mr Murray without subjecting him to the 
trouble of a process at law. But while he felt thus bound in 
honor and gratitude to see the Gibraltar firm repaid for their 
disinterested kindness, he was at the same time too proud of 
his command to ' give up the ship,' without some effort to com- 
pel the faithless merchants to a performance of their promise. 
With this view, when he left the counting-house of the merchants, 
he hastened back to his ship, shut down the hatches, and refus- 
ed to deliver another grain of the wheat, until the bond should 
be paid and his bottomry cancelled. In vain did the merchants 
plead, remonstrate, and menace ; his resolution was not to be 
shaken: — he was summoned to appear before the Governor 
of the district; and this high dignitary, with all the arrogance of 
' brief authority,' commanded him instantly to resume the sus- 
pended delivery of his cargo, 'or dread the consequences!' 
But the frowns and threats of man had no power to intimidate 
the lion heart of Josliua Barney ; he stood as firm and unsub- 
dued before His Excellency, as he had done before the mer- 
chants, and persisted with equal steadiness in his refusal to deliv- 
er any more of the cargo, until the claim of Mr Murray should 
be satisfied. The Governor was highly incensed at being thus 
bearded and defied in the very fortress of his power, and order- 
ed the presumptuous stripling to quit his presence. — Barney 
very composedly retired ; but on reaching the bottom of the 
stairs which led fiom the chamber of audience, he found him- 
self ratlier unexpectedly surrounded by a guard of soldiers, who 
arrested and dragged him off without ceremony to prison. 

Such a termination of his adventures had not entered into the 
calculations of Barney ; but nevertheless, the horrors of a dun- 
geon did not for a moment weaken the courage, or depress the 
spirits, of this dauntless and intrepid youth. After a few hours 
of solitary reflection, however, he began to perceive the little 
utility there vrould be in continuing a contest, powerless and un- 
supported as lie was, against the whole authority of a city, 



18 



MEMOIR OF 



military, and municipal, the executive officer of which had given 
evidence that he acted from the impulse of passion, and was re- 
strained by no respect either for the laws of nations or the rights 
of hospitality. It was plain, even to his inexperience, that his 
incarceration was the arbitrary act of an individual, not likely to 
be moved by any suggestion of reason or humanity, and who 
might extend its term to any inde6nite period which his own 
despotic will or caprice might determine to be expedient : it was 
equally certain, that, so long as he remained in prison, he was 
literally hors du combat, and could not hope to accomplish his 
desire of justice, either to his owners, to his friend Mr Murray, 
or to himself. It further occurred to him as not at all improba- 
ble, that a Governor thus disposed to play the tyrant, might 
seize upon the pretext of his obstinacy to commit the still great- 
er outrage of confiscating the ship — an apprehension which 
affected him more than any fear of danger to himself. He 
thought that, under all the circumstances, it would be no dere- 
liction of the principles of honor or morality to resort to a little 
dissimulation, for the purpose of effecting his liberation. He 
had been told, when thus suddenly thrust into prison, that his 
release would be the immediate consequence of his assenting to 
an unconditional delivery of the cargo : he believed that an as- 
sent so given, upon compulsion, could not in conscience be con- 
sidered as binding a moment after he should be freed from re- 
straint ; — and in short, he argued himself into the persuasion, 
that he would be perfectly justifiable in putting on a show of 
submission, which he was as far as ever from intending to realize 
when he should be once more in a situation to resist. He, ac- 
cordingly, caused it to be communicated to the officer who held 
him in charge, that he was ready to yield the point in contest 
and accept his liberty upon the terms offered : his prison door 
was immediately opened and he was told that he was free. 

Being once more upon the deck of his ship — upon his own 
territory, and within his own castle, as it may be said — he 
changed his tone of submission, proclaimed that he no longer 
felt himself bound to observe the condition of release which 
necessity had forced him to accept, and reasserted his deter- 
mination to hold the cargo until his bond was paid according to 
promise, or until superior force compelled him to relinquish it- 
Short as had been his intercoiu'se with the world, and little as he 
knew of international customs and courtesies, he was well aware 
that, if any outrage w^ere committed against bun while he stood 
upon the deck of his ship, under the protection of his flag — 
(the British — ) which he had taken care to hoist the moment 



COMMODORE BARNEY. 



19 



he got on board — the insult would be regarded as a national 
affair; and he did not believe that the Governor, reckless and 
impetuous as he had shown himself, would venture to incur the 
probable consequences of such an issue. But he was mistaken 
in the character of the Governor : this haughty representative 
of his Sardinian majesty, was either too short-sighted to see the 
risk, or too madly daring to fear it — upon being informed of 
the persistive contumacy of the young commander, he despatch- 
ed an officer, with a strong military accompaniment, on board, 
with orders to break up the hatches, proceed to discharge the 
cargo and remain on board until the whole was unladen. If 
Barney's means had equalled his will to resist this arbitrary and 
outrageous procedure, it cannot be doubted that there would 
have been a severe struggle for the victory ; but not only did 
the soldiers greatly outnumber his crew, but the latter were en- 
tirely unarmed, and every way unprepared to enter into contest 
with a military force. He, therefore, gave the officer to un- 
derstand, that he should consider his vessel as captured by a 
superior, lawless force, and should abandon her ; but, added 
he, ' I shall leave my colors flying, that there may be no pre- 
tence hereafter of ignorance as to the nation to which this insult 
has been offered.' The officer looked astonished, and disclaim- 
ed all intention to take possession ; but, without further parley, 
Barney called his crew together and retired from the ship. He 
boarded one of the English vessels in the harbor, obtained for 
his men a kind and hospitable reception on board, until he 
should be able otherwise to provide for them, and then landed, 
to seek out his only friend, Mr Murray. 

If any reader of these memoirs should feel disposed to cen- 
sure the conduct of our hero as rash, imprudent, obstinate, and, 
in the affair of his release from prison, insincere, we pray him 
to remember that he wanted yet several months of being six- 
teen years old ! — that the predicaments in which he was placed 
were beset with difficulties — and that the course which, in 
every instance, he adopted, was that which was most likely to 
bring personal vexation and trouble upon hirnself, and least 
likely to injure the interests of which he was the guardian for 
others. The correspondents of his American owners, the per- 
sons from whom he had the best right to expect friendship and 
advice, were his adversaries and accusers — their influence 
over the only authority to which he could appeal in the city 
seemed to be paramount — and in short, every occurrence 
tended to convince him, that he must either quietly submit to 
the grossest injustice \nd imposition, or rely solely on his own 
energies. 



20 



MEMOIR OF 



Mr Murray, who had by this time begun to feel an interest 
in what was passing far beyond any which the jeopardy of ' his 
bond' could have excited, received his young friend at his lodg- 
ings with every demonstration of sincere regard and sympathy ; 
and when Barney announced his determination to set out forth- 
with for Milan, in order to lay a representation of the whole 
affair before the British Ambassador at the Court of Sardinia, 
Mr Murray at once proposed to accompany him, and aid him 
with his advice and purse, so far as either might become neces- 
sary. Nothing could have been more grateful to the feelings of 
Barney than this friendly proposal ; for, though he wanted no 
further pecuniary assistance, and had already decided in his 
own mind upon the method of appeal to the English minister, 
still, to have the agreeable company of his friend on an occa- 
sion and journey so entirely novel to him, was a pleasure which 
he had scarcely dared to prom.ise himself, and for which he did 
not fail to express himself in suitable terms of acknowledgment. 
They had no preparations to make for the journey, and at an 
early hour the next morning they were on the road to the Italian 
capital. 

We have been exceedingly disappointed, and we fear some 
of our inquisitive readers may be so too, at not finding even so 
much as a ' log-book account' of this journey, which must 
have been full of interesting incidents. A single line comprises 
all the notice of it which the young traveller tliought fit to pre- 
serve ; and this we give in his own words : ' We crossed the fa- 
mous Alps, so noted for snow and difficxdt travelling, on mules ; 
we passed through part of Switzerland, and arrived at Milan.' 
What a volume migljt have been written upon the incidents and 
accidents of such a journey ! The man, or woman either, who 
could cross ' the famous Alps,' in these our days, without giv- 
ing the world a book, would be looked upon as a prodigy of for- 
bearance — or of selfishness. But Napoleon had not then led 
his victorious legions over their snow-crowned summits, and the 
name wanted that inspiring influence, which has since given 
birth to so many splendid monuments of human genius, and 
such interminable streams of human dulness and stupidity. 

Sir William Lynch was, at this period, his Britannic Majesty's 
representative at the Court of Sardinia — a gentleman not less 
distinguished for courtesy and urbanity of demeanor, than for 
the boldness, prompitude and energy of his diplomacy. To 
this able minister our travellers found' no difficulty in obtaining 
immediate access. Barney, being the party complainant, took 
upon himself the task of explaining the circumstances which 



COMMODORE BARNEY. 21 

had led to this trespass upon the Baronet's time and attention. 
He did this in plain, unstudied terms ; and, more from an un- 
affected indifference to all considerations merely personal, than 
from any preconceived purpose of more effectually enlisting 
the feelings of the minister, he passed slightly over the outrage 
commiited against himself and expatiated with great warmth on 
the insult offered to the English flag. The fiery indignation of 
the young narrator, as he proceeded in describing the invasion 
of his ship by the soldiery, communicated itself to Sir William ; 
and on the same, day, this prompt and efficient minister address- 
ed the proper remonstrance to His Sardinian Majesty. Three 
days afterwards — such was the stii'ring effect of his mode of 
negotiation — he caused it to be communicated to Barney that 
he might return to Nice, as measures had already been taken to 
arrange everything there to his satisfaction ! 

It was not without some misgivings as to the likelihood of find- 
ing the minister's promises so speedily realized, that the two 
friends began to retrace their road to Nice. They could hardly 
believe that any influence could, be so powerful as to accomplish 
so much in so short a time ; but even before they reached their 
journey's end, their incredulity was converted into the pro- 
foundest admiration of Sir William's power, that could thus ' anni- 
hilate both time and space,' and like the electric bolt, strike belore 
it could be seen. At the distance of two leagues from Nice, they 
were met by the offending Governor and his suite, literally cap 
in hand, who were anxiously expecting their return, ready to 
make any atonement that might be demanded ! The change 
in the demeanor of His Excellency was ludicrous in the ex- 
treme, and Barney could scarcely refrain from laughing in his 
face at his obsequious endeavors to conciliate him whom, but a 
few days before, he had as a ' presumptuous stripling' dismissed 
from his presence. He began to entertain a high respect for 
the art diplomatique and the peculiar talents of Sir William 
Lynch. 

Within an hour after his return to Nice, his bond to the 
Messrs Murray was discharged, the full amount of his freight 
paid, and the whole expense of his journey to Milan reimburs- 
ed. The governor paid him a formal visit on board his ship, 
apologized again and again for the trouble he had caused him, 
and offered to pay him any sum he chose to demand, by way 
of satisfaction for the few hours' imprisonment VN'hich he had 
been made to suffer. But the young American spurned the 
idea of pecuniary indemnity for his individual wrongs, and crea- 
ted great surprise in the Governor by what was thought to be 



22 MEMOIR OP 

the ' unexampled generosity of his acknowledgment, that all 
his injuries had already been amply redressed.' This contempt- 
ible magistrate, and royal deputy, however, was unable to com- 
prehend the spirit that could profess to be satisfied with mere 
words, wlien the more solid apology of ducats and piastres 
awaited his option ; and fearing, perhaps, that something more 
terrible than the rebuke which he had already received from his 
royal master still remained behind, to be called down upon his 
head at the pleasure of this extraordinary youth whose charac- 
ter he had so widely mistaken, he humbled himself to solicit a 
written acJinoivledgment, that all causes of complaint were re- 
moved. This, Barney saw no reason to refuse ; and during the 
few days that he afterwards remained at Nice, the Governor 
continued to be profuse in his attentions and offers of service. 

All his afiairs being now happily arranged, Barney was soon 
ready to prosecute his voyage. The story of his dispute with, 
and triumph over, the merchants and Governor of Nice, had 
for several days been the talk of the city gossips, and before his 
departure he received visits of compliment and congratulation 
from all the English captains in the port. Such marks of dis- 
tinction had seldom been shown to any master of a merchant 
vessel, young or old ; but they excited no emotion of vanity in 
the naturally lofty and independent spirit of Barney ; he had no 
idea that he had done anything more than ought to have been 
expected of every man in the same situation, and he would 
have been far from regarding it as a compliment to have been 
told that less was expected from him. Every moment that he 
could spare from the calls of duty, was passed with his friend 
Mr Murray, who, though many years his senior, had from their 
first interview treated him as an equal, and to this circumstance 
may be attributed the fondness of Barney for his society, and 
the lasting advantages he derived from his instructive conversa- 
tion. The attachment which they formed for each other on this 
occasion, was never interrupted. Mr Murray, though he had 
no longer any business to detain him at Nice, delayed his 
departure until his young friend was ready to sail ; they then 
took an afiectionate leave of each other, and weighed anchor 
almost at the same moment for their respective destinations. 

The orders under which Barney acted, carried him from 
Nice to Alicant, in Spain, where he arrived some time in the 
month of June, 1775 — and, as if Providence had designed 
that his first voyage as commander should be signalized by every 
variety of incident that could most effectually try his temper, his 
courage, and his skill, the moment of his arrival was, that in 



COMMODORE BARNEV, 23 

which his Catholic Majesty was fitting out. his memorable expe- 
dition against Algiers. The consequence was that Barney 
shared the fate of every other master of a vessel then in the 
port of Alicant, English as well as others ; that is, he was de- 
tained and employed in the service of the expedition. The 
army, consisting of nearly thirty thousand men, under the com- 
mand of the unfortunate Irish General, the Conde O'Reilly, 
were for the most part already embarked. Six line-of-battle- 
ships, double that number of frigates, and galliots, xebecs, bombs 
and other armed vessels of various descriptions, amounting in the 
whole tofiftyone — with three hundred and fortyfour transports, 
all under the command of Admiral Don Pedro de Castijon — 
constituted the fleet destined to convey and cooperate with the 
land forces ; and the whole together formed one of the most 
splendid and formidable martial arrays, that Europe had ever 
before witnessed. It has been often remarked that no sight In 
the world is more animating and full of incitement than a large 
ship, with ail her canvas spread to the breeze : the dullest 
spirit is roused at beholding the mighty fabric moving upon the 
face of the waters as if endued with life and sensation : — what 
then must have been the effect upon the heart of a young mar- 
iner, whose every pulse throbbed with professional enthusiasm, 
as he viewed for the first time, under full sail, nearly four hund- 
red of these ocean castles, all gorgeously decked w ith the ' pomp 
and circumstance of glorious war!' It w'as a sight which he 
could never forget; and he would have regarded even the 
chance of seeing it — much more that of sharing, in however 
humble a degree, its anticipated honors — as cheaply purchased 
by far greater personal inconveniences than any that could arise 
from a few days' or weeks' detention. But ' vanity of vanities !' 
what a diflerence was there between the going ibrth and the 
coming back of this proud and magnificent armada. 

On the day previous to the sailing of the fleet, there was a 
grand ceremonial In the church of San Francisco, and prayers 
were offered for the success of the expedition — after which 
the Count O'Reilly delivered an oration, v.hlch was of course 
unintelligible to Barney, who had only yet picked up a iew 
Spanish words, in his limited intercourse with the natives of 
Alicant. It was received, however, with marks of applause by 
a crowded audience, and every body seemed already to envy 
the laurels, which nobody doubted the commander-in-chief 
would gather from the Moors he was going to exterminate ! 
The result of the expedition Is well known — Instead of return- 
ing with the expected crown of victory, the unhappy Conde 



24 MEMOIR OF 

came back to receive the curses and execrations of a disap- 
pointed, disgraced, and infuriated country. The historical 
details of this great blot upon the chivalry of Spain are for the 
most part confused and contradictory, all the officers of rank 
engaged in it being alternately censured and excused, accord- 
ing to the personal feelings of the writer; — that there were 
egregious blunders conrmiitted in the mode of attack; is beyond 
all question ; but by whom, will in all probability never be truly 
known. To us it seems, that the first great fault, which more 
than all others led to the disastrous issue, was committed by the 
King of Spain himself, in the great publicity given to his pre- 
parations, and the length of time consumed in their completion. 
The whole of Europe were acquainted with his object, and it 
was absurd to expect that those most concerned would either 
remain ignorant of it, or, knowing it, fail to put themselves in a 
state of defence. Had the expedition been secretly planned 
and promptly executed, it would never have been left to Louis 
Philip of France to control the destiny of a Dey of Algiers. 

When Barney reached Alicant, one of the first things lie 
heard was, that a serious disagreement existed between the 
Count O'Reilly and the Spanish Admiral Don Pedro de Cas- 
tijon ; of its causes nothing was said, but it seemed to be the 
general impression, that they sailed from Alicant with a muaial 
determination to work the ruin of each other — at least it can 
hardly be doubted, that, with the heads of the two branches of 
the armament thus at variance, there could be no concerted 
plan of cooperation, and without that, it was impossible that a 
successful disembarkation could be made, in the face of an 
expecting enemy. The Count O'Reilly had another adversary, 
m one of his Council of War, Major Genera] Romana, who 
probably thought the honor of his country outraged in the 
selection of a foreigner to command her armies ; but as this 
gallant officer fell in the thickest of the fight, bravely sealing 
with his blood the evidence of his fidelity, it would be ungener- 
ous to cast upon his memory any portion of the stigma, which 
afterwards lit upon the conduct of his surviving colleagues. — 
It was on the 1st of July that the fleet anchored in the Bay of 
Algiers, and here they lay, in full view of an enemy more than 
four times their number, until the 7th, before any attempt was 
made to effect a landing. The interval, according to the 
rumor which prevailed throughout the fleet, was spent in a suc- 
cession of disgraceful controversies between the principal offi- 
cers, as to the propfir point and mode of attack. On the day 
mentioned, the launches, with about one third of the troops on 



COMMODORE BARNEY. 



25 



board, made a movement towards the shore ; but, being un- 
supported by the naval force, they returned to their transports, 
having accomplisiied nothing by the demonstration but to pre- 
pare the enemy for their future reception. Another, and final 
effort was made on the succeeding morning, the galleys and 
some of the ships of war making a simultaneous movement to 
cover the disembarkation ; and if ever troops were led to the 
slaughter, without even ?i forlorn hope of escape, it was on this 
occasion. The enemy covered the extensive plain that rose 
from the beach at the point of landing, in numbers exceeding, 
at the lowest calculation, one hundred thousand, the greater 
part of which were cavalry, and all ready to show the Moorish 
welcome to unbidden guests. The several divisions of Spanish 
troops, without waiting to be supported, or even to form on the 
beach as they landed, and displaying more bravery than pru- 
dence or discipline, moved on in rapid, confused, and eager 
march to the unequal and fatal contest. They were met by 
the Moorish horse, within less than musket shot from the beach, 
and repulsed at every charge with tremendous slaughter. The 
Spaniards fought with the desperate valor of devoted men; but 
what could human courage effect against the overwhelming 
disparity of force that everywhere surrounded them ! By the 
time the last boats had touched the beach with the troops which 
had been destined as a part of the first column of attack, the 
disorder was inextricable ; and such was the unbroken and 
irresistible impetuosity of the Moorish cavalry, that all attempts 
to repair the first error of the Spanish assailants were found to 
be ineffectual. The victory of the Moors was already com- 
plete ; the Spaniards were driven back upon their boats in the 
extremest disorder and confusion, and so vigorously were they 
pursued by the mounted Moors, that many of them were cut 
down in the very act of jumping into the launches — sauve qui 
pent was, if not the cry of authority, at least the principle that 
governed every individual, in the retreat ; to bring off their 
dead, or even to take care of their wounded, was therefore not 
thought of; and the discomfited, abased, and mortified survi- 
vors, after returning to their ships, had the additional shame and 
horror of witnessing a sight that m.ust have preyed upon their 
hearts to the hour of death — their killed and wounded com- 
panions, that were left upon the field of batde, were thrown 
together in undistinguishable piles and burned before their eyes ! 
Such is the substance of the brief notes, made by an eye- 
witness of this most unfortunate, ill-planned, and disgraceful 
expedition. The fleet returned immediately to Alicant, and 
3 



26 



TrlEMOIR OP 



the ships that had been pressed into the service as transports 
were discharged. Barney's business at this port was soon 
concluded, and he took his departure for Baltimore — leaving 
the exasperated community of Alicant, denouncing the bitter- 
est vengeance upon the unfortunate Count O'Reilly, and pour- 
ing out execrations upon every ofiicer, by turns, who had the 
misfortune to belong to an expedition, from which they had 
expected such different, such glorious, results. As he passed 
the Straits of Gibraltar, Barney could not resist the oppor- 
tunity of paying his respects to the Murrays — he passed a 
night with them of the highest social enjoyment ; and the next 
morning at an early hour, he turned his back upon the far famed 
columns of Hercules, and once more took his course upon the 
broad Atlantic. 

He entered the Chesapeake Bay on the 1st of October, and 
was soon afterwards boarded by an officer from the British Sloop 
of war ' Kingfisher,' who, after searching his ship and taking 
possession of all the letters and the few arms that were found on 
board, gave him the exciting information that his countrymen 
were in a state of rebellion, and that tvv'o battles had already- 
been fought, at Lexington, and Bunker's Hill. Barney literally 
' devoured' the intelligence ' with greedy ear,' and was scarcely 
restrained by the presence of His Majesty's loyal officers, and 
the gaping mouths of the ' Kingfisher,' from making such an 
exhibition of his own ' rebellious' spirit, as would in all proba- 
bility have subjected him to detention, at least, if not to severe 
punishment ; but fortunately for him, his discretion prevailed, 
and he was permitted to proceed. He had been too little at 
home from the period of his twelfth year, to hear much of the 
rumbling which so long preceded the great political storm now 
at hand ; and if the idea of a revolution had ever entered his 
mind, it was as of some far distant future event, the glories of 
which might have been faintly shadowed to his youthful fancy, 
but never with such distinctness, even in his wildest dream of 
ambition, as to leave the impression of his own participation. 
But here it was, — just beginning to develope its teeming dan- 
gers and honors, at the very moment that he himself was burst- 
ing into the first vigor of youth, and panting for opportunities 
of distinction. Could it be true ? And would he indeed have 
a chance of drawing a sword in the service of his country ? — If 
he could have added wings to his ship, or fleetness to the breeze 
that was wafting her gently along the smooth surface of the 
Chesapeake, the days that intervened before he stood upon the 
shore of his native city would have been converted into min- 



COMMODORE BARNEY. 



27 



utes — so eager was he to hear a confinnalion of the news. 
When at last he landed, and saw and heard on every hand the 
dm of preparation, and listened to the groups of old and young 
as they recounted at corners and public places the story of his 
country's wrongs, and the long catalogue of British tyranny 
and injustice, his heart grew big, his whole frame dilated — he 
felt himself already a Commodore ! — and glowing with the pride 
of thisanticipated promotion, he suddenly, and unannounced, pre- 
sented himself in the counting-house of the plain, plodding, sour 
old merchant, who owned ' the good ship Sidney.' — The old gen- 
tleman raised his eyes from the leger (the mysterious pages of 
which he was intently studying,) and fixed them with an inquisi- 
tive stare upon the young intruder. — 'Who are yoii, sir r' at 
length escaped from him, in a tone of surly impatience. — 'I 
am Joshua Barney, master of your ship, just arrived !' — ' Mas- 
ter of my ship, -M-e you, sir? and how dare ?/om, sir, an ap- 
prentice boy, presume to take command of a ship of mine T — 
The ' apprentice boy' turned upon him a look of calm disdain, 
and throwing upon the desk before him the ship's papers and 
other documents of the voyage which he had brought in his 
hand — ' Read these !' said he, and without further reply walked 
to the window, where he amused himself in looking at the vari- 
ous individuals that passed to and fro. — The merchant in the 
meantime took up the bundle of papers, pulled down his specta- 
cles from the top of his head, and was soon profoundly interest- 
ed in the perusal. — The operation was slow — time wore 
away, and Barney's patience began to wear with it : — he had 
counted every brick in the opposite house, and read every sign, 
backwards and forwards, anagrammatizing the names, as far as 
he could see them up and down street — he coughed — walked 
to the fire — trod upon the toes of the great watch-dog that lay 
stretched before it, and knocked down the poker. — Everything 
has its end — the last paper was at length read, and carefully 
refolded : the old gendeman lifted his spectacles once more 
above his forehead, and rising from his seat with an agility that 
little belonged to his ordinary motions, he advanced to the young 
seaman, seized his hand, and giving it a hearty shake with both 
his own, exclaimed, ' Captain Barney, you are welcome home, 
sir ! I am glad to see you ! I congratulate you heartily upon 
your safe return ! your conduct meets my cordial approbation, 
sir, and I am proud to find that I have so deserving a young 
man in my employ. — Take a seat, sir ; we shall see what 's to 
be done immediately ! — The compellation with which the ven- 
erable merchant commenced this flattering address, was more 



28 MEMOIR OF COMMODORK BARiVEY. 

soothing than all the rest of the compliment : — to be called 
' captain,' by one who had the legitimate right to bestow such 
titles, was indeed an honor to be prized ; it wiped away all re- 
membrance of his insulting reception, and when the business of 
the interview was finished, he made his retiring bow in the firm 
persuasion that John Smith was one of the first merchants in 
the world ! 

Thus ended this truly eventful voyage — the ship had been 
absent nearly nine months, during the last eight of which Bar- 
ney had been her commander, though at the moment of his 
arrival but sixteen years and three months old. He had al- 
ready gone through scenes, and triumphed over difficulties, such 
as occur to few seamen in the course of a long life spent in 
navigation. If he had not always acted with the prudence that be- 
longs only to experience, he had at least on no occasion failed to 
show that he possessed the requisite courage and perseverance 
to follow to its consummation the course he believed to be pro- 
per, to defend the interests entrusted to him, and to maintain his 
own rights ; and if success in enterprise be the test of merit or 
of talents, he had abundant reason to be conscious of eminent 
desert. 



CHAPTER III 



State of the Country in the Autumn of 1775. — Barney's Ship is laid up. — He 
offers his services on board the sloop of War Hornet — is made Master'a- 
mate. — He is the first person that hoists the American Flag in the State of 
Maryland. — The Hornet joins the Squadron, at Philadelphia, underthe com- 
mand of Commodore Hopkins. — They sail for the Bahamas — enter New- 
Providence, and take possession of the Town and Fort without resistance. — 
The Squadron returns. — The Hornet experiences a disaster — encouniera 
bad weather on the coRst of South Carolina — returns to the Delaware. — 
Barney di^covers his Captain to be a coward — his indignation thereat — he 
becomes himself the Commander — and succeeds in reaching Philadelphia 
in spite of the vigilance of the British Cruisers. 

On the return of young Barney to his native city, (in Octo- 
ber, 1775) the whole country, as we have seen, was in a .state 
of political excitement — the ferment was universal ; and 
though, perhaps, but few individuals of the great mass that were 
then in motion, had the remotest idea of a total disruption of the 
ties that connected them with the mother country, yet all were 
ready to fly to the resort of arms in defence of their coJunial 
rights — upon which tl)e government of Great Britain had been 
gradually making encroachments, until her system had become 
insupportably tyrannical and oppressive. In the state of things 
that then existed, it was natural that commercial enterprise 
should be in a great measure suspended — the mouth of the 
Chesapeake was watched by British ships of war ; and the 
merchants of Baltimore, doubtful whether their most peaceful 
and legitimate intentions of trade would be respected, for the 
most part laid up their vessels. The death of Captain Drys- 
dale had of course annulled the articles of apprenticeship by 
which Barney had been bound, and he was now his own mas- 
ter, free to engage in the service that best suited his inclination. 
The reader has seen enough of his character to be able to anti- 
cipate, that it was not long a subject of hesitation with him, 
where he should seek employment: — that which was most 
likely to be attended with active enterprise and honorable dan- 
ger, and which promised the greatest scope to youthful ambi- 



30 



MEMOIR OF 



tion, would naturally offer the strongest attractions to such a 
mind as h':s; and it will readily be believed that, even if Mr 
Smith's ship had not been among those laid up, unless she had 
been armed and commissioned to fight her own way through all 
chances of insult, he would have resigned all his claims to the 
honor of continuing to command her, for a subordinate rank in 
the service oi" his country. 

He scarcely allowed himself time for a short visit to his moth- 
er and family, before he became one of the busiest actors in the 
stirring scenes of the day. A couple of small vessels were at 
this time under equipment at Baltimore, intended to join the 
small squadron of ships then at Philadelphia under the command 
of Commodore Hopkins. To the commander of one of these 
vessels, the sloop Hornet, of ten guns, Barney offered his ser- 
vices, and was gladly received on board in the character of 
master's-mate, the second ranii in the sloop. A crew had not 
yet been shipped, and the duty of recruiting one was assigned 
to Barney. Fortunately for his purpose, just at this moment a 
new American Flag, sent by Commodore Hopkins for the 
service of the Hornet, arrived from Philadelphia — nothing 
could have been more opportune or acceptable — it was the 
first ' Star-spangled Banner' that had been seen in the State of 
Maryland ; and the next morning, at sunrise, Barney had the 
enviable honor of unfiirling it to the music of drums and fifes, 
and hoisting it upon a staff planted with his own hands at the 
door of his rendezvous. The heart-stirring sounds of the 
martial instruments, then a novel incident in Baltimore, and the 
still more novel sight of the RthcJ colors gracefully waving in 
the breeze, attracted crowds of all ranks and eyes to the gay 
scene of the rendezvous, and before the setting of the same 
day's suH;, the young recruiting oflicer had enlisted a full crew of 
jolly ' rebels' for the Hornet. 

Towards the latter end of November — less than five weeks 
after Barney had landed from his nine months' voyage — the 
two Baltimore vessels left the Patapsco in company. They 
were fortunate enough to descend the Chesapeske and pass the 
Capes without being perceived by the British cruisers, several 
of which were known to be in Hampton Roads. They found 
the little fleet of Commodore Hopkins — consisting of the Al- 
fred (the flag-ship) of 30 guns; the Columbus of 30; the 
Caboi; (brig) of 16; the Andrea Doria (brig) of 14; and the 
Providence (sloop) of 12, together with the Fly (tender) — 
anchored at the mouth of the Delaware ; and the sight of this 
little squadron, humble as it was in appearance, and still more 



COMMODORE BARNEY. 



31 



feeble as it was In reality, gave a greater glow of delight to the 
heart of Barney than all the splendors and magnificence of the 
great Spanish armada before its pride was brought low. In this, 
he would be an active agent, however humble : in that, he was 
a passive instrument. He knew nothing of the objects or des- 
tination of the little fleet; but he knew that he would be a 
sharer in whatever dangers it might encounter, and that if 
honors were to be won, it depended upon himself whether to 
share them also. 

A few days after the Hornet, and Wasp had joined the fleet, 
the signal was made to weigh anchor, and in a litde time they 
vvere at sea. The island of Abico had been previously desig- 
nated as the place of rendezvous, sliould anything occur to sep- 
arate the fleet ; and at this place accordingly they all met, in a 
short time after leaving the Delaware, without an adventure of 
any sort by the way. Here the Commodore made known the 
object of his expedition. It had been ascertained, that a large 
quantity of the munitions of war were collected at New Provi- 
dence, (one of the Bahama islands) the possession of which 
was extremely desirable, for the service of the infant navy, 
which was in every respect but ill provided to sustain a length- 
ened contest with the giant power, which our angry ' mother- 
country' was spreading everywhere on our waters. Commo- 
dore Hopkins delayed not a moment after his squadron had all 
reached Abico, to make his purposed descent upon New Provi- 
dence. Contrary to expectation, and we may add contrary to' 
the hopes of several of his yotmg ofiicers, the town and fort 
surrendered to him without firing a shot. He found, as had 
been anticipated, an immense quantity of ammunition, great 
guns, mortars, shells, and other valuable stores, of which hav- 
ing secured the possession, he left the island and sailed agaia 
for tlie north. 

The weather was excessively cold and tempestuous as the 
fleet approached the coast, and the nights were so dark 
1776 and hazy, that even signal lights were invisible from 
one vessel to another. On one of these black and 
stormy nights, the Fly-tender ' ran foul of the Hornet,' and 
unfortunately carried away her mast-head and boom. By 
this accident, which was altogether irreparable on such a 
night, the Hornet was separated from the fleet, and the next 
morning was discovered to be ahnost a wreck, with not one 
of her consorts in sight. In this situation, it was the joint 
opinion of the captain and our friend Biuney, that it would 
be prudent to steer for the nearest coast, and with such as- 



32 



MEMOIR OF 



sistance as might be procured, repair the damages of the sloop, 
before they attempted to follow the course of the fleet. They 
reached the coast of South Carolina, but were for several days 
unable, owing to the boisterous state of the weather, to send a 
boat on shore ; and when at last they effected it, so violeht a 
gale came on before the boat could return, that they deemed it 
advisable rather to leave her and put out into the open sea, than 
encounter the risk of being driven ashore where all must have 
perished. They did all that was in their power under the circum- 
stances, and were fortunate enou?h, after much labor, fatigue, and 
danger to arrive off the mouth of the Delaware about the first of 
April, 1776. During this cruise, (if the being driven about at 
the mercy of the elements for many weeks may be so called,) 
Barney thought he discovered many evidences of a want of 
courage and firmness of mind in his commanding officer, and 
before they entered the Delaware he became assured of his utter 
cowardice and unworlhiness to bear a commission. From the 
pilot, who came off to them a little southward of the Capes, 
they received information that the British ship Roebuck of 44 
guns lay at anchor in the roads, and that an armed tender be- 
longing to her was at that moment cruising, off and on, making 
prizes of such American vessels as were unable to cope with 
her. The captain of the Hornet, upon hearing this intelligence, 
and manifestly with the design to avoid a meeting with the ten- 
der, ordered the pilot to change the course of the sloop and steer 
for Cape May ; but it was ordained, that the true character of 
this man should be developed, at a moment when the discovery 
would be attended with least disgrace to the cause in which he 
had embarked. Instead of avoiding a meeting by running over 
to Cape JMay, it seems he got upon the very track of the tender, 
and soon fell in with her. The force of the sloop was so far 
superior to that of the Roebuck's tender, that the latter would 
have been as unwilling to take the hazard of a rencounter as the 
American captain showed himself to be, if appearances had not 
been deceptive ; the sloop's guns had all been housed during the 
stormy weather she had experienced, and still remained in that 
state, invisible to the commanding officer of the tender, who 
mistaking her for a common coaster, bore down upon her with 
the expectation, no doubt, of making her an easy prey. Bar- 
ney had been watching her manoeuvres with great interest; he 
stood by one of the guns, which he ordered to be run out the 
moment she came along side, and was in the act of applying the 
lighted match which he held in his hand, when his captain or- 
dered him not to fire, as he had ' no inclination for shedding 



CO.MMODORE BARNEY. 



33 



blood !' The order was so unexpected, so contrary, as he 
thought, to every principle of duty, honor, and manliness, that, 
impelled by an irresistible impulse of indignation, he forgot for 
a moment the respect due to discipline, and threw the match- 
stick at the head of his commanding officer — the latter manag- 
ed to avoid the blow by a rapid movement within the door of 
the round-house, or poop-quarter-deck, into the frame of which 
the iron point of the match-stick entered and stuck fast ! The 
incident was w'tnessed by all on board, and officers and men 
were alike ready to exclaim that their cowardly captain had been 
' served right.' The tender of course sheered oft'the moment 
she discovered her mistake as to the character of the sloop, and 
thus escaped the fate that must have awaited her if battle had 
been made. 

After this affair, the captain remained housed within his cabin, 
and no longer even assumed the appearance of command, which 
devolved upon Barney. It was some consolation to him and 
the other Americans on board to reflect, that this ' most devout 
coward' — for he affected to be under the influence of religious 
scruples, and spent his time in singing psalms and praying aloud 
— was not their countryman, but a native of Bermuda. 

The sloop entered the Delaware Bay by the Cape J\Jay chan- 
nel : a thick, impenetrable fog came on, and the pilot who had 
charge of her ran her ashore on Egg Island flats. By this dis- 
aster, her rudder was knocked off, and she lay for several days 
unmanageable — the weather continued to be very cold, though 
the month of April was now considerably advanced, the greater 
part of the crew, and all the officers except Barney, (and the 
captain, who never ventured to show himself upon deck,) were 
sick, and suffering extremely from privations of every kind. 
A double share of labor of course fell upon our high-spirited 
and active friend, but he was able to sustain it all, and at length 
brought the Hornet safely into Philadelphia. Her captain 
abandoned her immediately, and never afterwards ventured oa 
board an armed vessel. 

That this long, fatiguing, and in every respect disagreeable 
cruise should have thus terminated, without a single opportunity 
of measuring strength with the foe, it may be readily believed, 
was a source of deep mortification and disappointment to the 
high raised hopes and expectations of young Barney. He had 
been five months at sea, in a cold and stormy winter, the greater 
part of the time beating about our inclement coast, and under 
the command of an officer whose seamanship was inferior to 
his own, and whom he more than suspected of hypocrisy and 



34 MEMOIR OF 

cowardice. Such a situation had everything in it to worry and 
annoy a gallant spirit ; and the sternest disciplinarian might find 
some excuse for the impatient, and almost involuntary, breach 
of the rules of subordination, which Barney committed, on the 
occasion we have mentioned. No one could be more sen- 
sible than himself, even at this early period of his life, of the 
necessity of subjection to authority on board a ship, and no 
commander ever more rigidly exacted it from others, when after- 
wards advanced to that rank. But it may be regarded as some 
palliation, if not a justification of his conduct towards his des- 
picable commander, that he was a volunteer on board — that 
he had offered his services to this man, rather than to the com- 
mander of the schooner Wasp, because he had been led to be- 
lieve, by those who pretended to know them both, that he was 
the braver man of the two, and the most experienced seaman 
— and that, in truth, he had himself been de facto the comman- 
der, from the moment that the pressure of dangers and difficul- 
ties called forthe exertion of more than ordinary skill and energy 
in the management of the vessel. He had not waited the slow 
process of an application to Congress for a commission -^ in- 
deed he was totally unacquainted with the mode of application, 
and perhaps felt conscious that his extreme youth would be an 
insuperable bar to iiis obtaining such rank, by commission, as 
he would have been willing to accept. And, moreover, he was 
under the impression that as a volunteer, he would be more 
independent, and more at liberty to seek occasions of making 
himself known by his actions. These considerations had induc- 
ed him to offer his services to the commander of the Hornet ; 
who does not appear to have been himself regularly commis- 
sioned — at least, his name is not among the appointments made 
by Congress in 1775, when the other officers of Commodore 
Hopkins's fleet were appointed — and how far the incidents of 
his five months^ services corresponded with his calculations, or 
rather how completely they levelled with the dust all his air-built 
castles, we have seen. To add to his mortification, upon his 
arrival at Philadelphia, he heard that the fleet, after his separa- 
tion from them, fell in with the enemy and had a smart action ; 
but he did not hear at the same time, what would probably have 
consoled him for having no share in it, that Congress and the 
people had been loud in their censures upon the conduct of those 
officers who had .been engaged in the affair. — These censures, 
however, it becomes us to add, were entirely unjust, as after- 
wards appeared from the results of two court martials held on 
board the Commodore's ship, and the officers implicated had the 



COMMODORE BARNEY. 35 

satisfaction of receiving full amends in a subsequent compliment 
from the marine committee. 

The unceremonious manner in which the captain of the Hor- 
net'left her the moment she arrived at Philadelphia, made it 
incumbent upon Barney, very much against his will, to continue 
in charge of her until he could be regularly relieved, which did 
not take place for more than three weeks. She had been so 
much injured by the several accidenis that had occurred to her, 
that it was found she could not be sent again to sea before she 
was thoroughly repaired ; and as he considered every moment 
that he remained inactive as throwing away a chance of doing 
something useful to his country and honorable to himself, he 
delivered her over to the officer sent to superintend her repairs, 
and being again a free man began immediately to cast about in 
his own mind, where he should next offer his services. Of the 
little fleet", or, as it was in truth, the whole navy of the confed- 
erated States at that time, two (the Cabot and the Andrea Doria) 
were considerably more damaged than the sloop, and were also 
undergoing repairs — two others were in Rhode Island, and one 
at New York, so that there remained but one to which he could 
conveniently present himself, with any chance of immediate ser- 
vice: — this one was the little schooner Wasp, the companion 
of the Hornet from Baltimore to the mouth of the Delaware, 
five months before, and the vessel which he had been persuaded 
to overlook, when he made his first selection. 



CHAPTER IV. 

Jlistorical Digression. — State of Affairs in the beginning of 1776. — Barney's 
reasons for preferring to serve as a Volunteer. — He enters on bonrd the 
Schooner Wasp, Captain Alexander. — [Encounter with the Enemy. — The 
Wasp is driven into Wilmington Creek. — Gallant Achievement of her Com- 
mander, assisted by Barney, while there. — Action of two days between the 
Philadelphia Row-Galleys, and the British Frigates Koebuck and l.iverpool. 
— Barney volunteers to bring a disabled Galley into action. — The Enemy 
are driven below Newcastle. — Return to Philadelphia. — Promotion of 
Captain Alexander. — Marney is ordered to the Sloop Sachem — has rin in- 
terview with the President of the Marine Committee — Receives a Letter of 
appointment as Lieutenant in the Navy. 

It was our earnest purpose, when we entered upon the task 
of writing these Memoirs, to avoid any interference with the 
province of the historian — first, because it might lead to too 
great an extension of our phm ; and secondly, because we 
believed tiiat the memory of every reader would sup[)ly all that 
was necessary for proper connexion and elucidation. But as 
we pursue our subject through various scenes of the revolu- 
tionary war, we find it not always possible to adhere to our 
purpose, without running the risk of becoming obscure, or 
burthening the reader with too many references to historical 
writers. We confess it would have been exceedingly agreeable 
to us to have found no occasion to step aside from the strictly 
biographical path we had marked out for ourselves, as well 
because we consider one subject at a time as quite enough for 
one writer, as because we are not at all fond of supererogatory 
labor. But the life of every public man is so essentially inter- 
woven with his country's history, that many of the motives and 
principles of the former would be wholly unintelligible with- 
out illustration from some coetaneous incidents of the latter. 
The reader therefore must make up his mind to an occasional 
digression, which, we promise him, shall be brief, if not interest- 
ing. 

During the early part of the year 1776, and even to the 
moment when the leading spirits of the Revolution pronounced 



COMMODORE BARNEY . d i 

the irrevocable fiat of independence, a lingering hope of an 
amicable adjiistinent of the quarrel with tbe mother-country 
was still fondly cherished in many of the colonies, and a great 
number of the representatives of the people were positively 
instructed by their constituents to vote against ah j)ropositions 
for a political separation. It was believed that tlie spirit of 
resistance to tyranny which had already been shown, would 
have the effect of inducing parliament to repeal their offensive 
measures, and endeavor to recover the allegiance of the 
colonies, even at the sacrifice of an obstinate ministry ; and 
many individuals, both in and out of Congress, whose patriotism 
or whose wisdom could not be doubted, were of opinion that 
the advantages of a continued connexion with England, under 
a meliorated system of colonial government, would be alto^ 
gether on the side of the colonies. They had not yet heard 
of Lord North's extended plan of coercion ; they were not 
aware of tlie immense armament of land and naval forces, 
destined to ravage our long line of defenceless coast, and to 
plunder, harass, and desolate our unoffending hamlets and har- 
bors ; and they miscalculated the feelings of their fellow-subjects 
of Great Biitain,who, instead of symi)athizingin the distresses, 
and commending the mardy spirit of their cis-atlantic brethren, 
went beyond the ministers themselves in their denunciations, 
and suggestions of plans to suppress the rebellion, or extertnin- 
ale the rebels. The measures of Congress during all this 
period were, of course, of a temporizing nature ; tbeir pre- 
parations for lengthened hostilities were chiefly confined to a 
system of defence, and even in the completion of this, their 
operations were tardy and defective. The minds of the mem- 
bei*s seem to have been so entirely engaged upon the contem- 
plated Declaration of Independence, that they lost sight of the 
most obvious means of giving it effect and force when it should 
be promulgated. It is true they had organized a military Ibrce 
for the land service, but in all that was required to render it 
efficient, they were entirely neglectful; and if the coaimander- 
in-chief had not turned out to be — what at the time of his 
selection, they certainly had no reasonable grounds to believe 
he was — one of the ablest generals the world ever produced, 
there would have been literally no army at the moment when 
its force ought to have been most imposing. They were still 
more tardy in preparing to meet the enemy on the water. 
British cruisers committed the most insulting outrages in the 
very sight of our large cities, and our coasting trade was cut up 
by vessels of inferior size and force, that occupied the bays and 
4 



38 



MEMOIR OP 



inlets, and for a long time held tiie nnastery undieputed. Con- 
gress had apjDointed a few naval officers in December, 1775, 
and had ordered a few ships to be built ; but the delay in com- 
pleting; the latter was so great, that it was found impossible to 
man them when they were ready : for the seamen, immense 
numbers of whom had been thrown out of employment by the 
interruption to commerce, rather than remain idle, had nearly 
al! enlisted in the land service. Tbe liitle fleet of Commodore 
Hopkins, after its exploit at New Providence, and the capture 
of one or two of the enemy's vessels, became so separated 
and disabled, that it could undertake no subsequent enterprise; 
and when Congress at last began to think it necessary to direct 
the attention of their Marine Committee to the equipment of a 
proper naval force, they scarcely knew where to look for the 
nucleus upon which lo commence their operations. 

We have said that Barney had, in the first instance, preferred 
offering his services as a volunteer to making application for a 
regular commission. He had still stronger reasons now for this 
preference than at first. In Baltimore he might, perhaps, have 
obtained the recommendation and influence of his old mer- 
chant, Mr Smith ; but he had an unconquerable aversion to 
asking the recommendation of any body, and he left Mr Smith's 
friendly promises unclaimed. In Pliiladelphia, where he now 
was, he knew nobody, or, what was more to the purpose, no- 
body knew him ; unknown, unrecommended, and not yet 
seventeen years old, it is not probable that an application from 
him for a lieutenant's commission would have been successful, 
if he had been disposed to make it, and he would not have 
accepted a lower rank, had it been ofiered lo him. There was 
another objection, too, against his presenting himself to the 
Marine Committee — he did not know what report might have 
been made of him by his late captain, or what the extent of 
the latter's interest might be, if he should find the courage to 
exert it against him : he had waited several weeks in momenta- 
ry expectation of being called to a court martial for the disre- 
spect be had shown to his commanding oflicer; hitherto not a 
word had transpired in relation to it ; but he was well aware, 
that his conduct had rendered him liable to trial and punish- 
ment, and that hovv-ever palliative the circumstances might ap- 
pear in the estimation of every private individual of honorable 
feelings, officers, who were bound by particular laws, and the 
still higher authorities from whom those laws emanated, would 
perhaps regard them in a very different light. At all events, 
if be had no inclination, under much more favorable auspices, 



COMMODORE BARNEV. 39 

to ask for a commission, there was nothing in his present situa- 
tion that could induce him to change his mind, and the moment, 
therefore, that he was relieved from the charge of the sloop, 
he went on board the schooner VVasj), and offered his services 
to Cnptain Charles Alexander, a Scotchman, and as gallant 
an officer as ever stepped a deck — so much !)ad his character 
been misunderstood, or misrepresented, by those from whom 
Barney had received his first information. 

Volunteers, at this period, either in the army or navy, were 
certain of being entertained with honorable welcome ; such a 
station, therefore, on board the Wasp, as Barney was willing to 
accept, was readily assigned to him, andhevi'as soon again in 
full employment. The Wasp had been ordered to convoy, 
clear of the coast, a vessel of some value bound to Europe. 
She accomplished this duly without interruption ; but on her 
return to the Delaware, it was discovered that two British frigates 
had entered it during her absence, and were then lying in the 
roads — these were the Roebuck, of 44 guns, and the Liverpool, 
of 28 guns. The latter vessel hoisted her anchor, as soon as the 
Wasp appeared in sight, and made sail after her, but fortunately 
having no pilot on board, and bein"-, as it appeared, unac- 
quainted with the channel, she ran upon some of the shoals, 
where she remained immovable until the change of tide, and 
thus the little schooner was enabled to make her escape. She 
ran into the Cape May channel, where she found two other 
American vessels lying snugly at anchor, the brig Lexington, 
Captain Barry, and the ship Surprise, Captain Weeks, ignorant 
of the so near vicinity of the enemy. 

In a few hours after the Wasp had joined diese vessels, a 
vessel was discovered standing for the Cape with all sail crowded, 
and the Liverpool, which had by this tinse cleared the shoals, 
closely pursuing her. She was soon known to be a vessel 
anxiously expected in the Delaware, laden with small arms and 
ammunition, and preparations were made by the three vessels 
to afford her all the assistance in their power. But they had 
scarcely concerted the means of rendering tlieir cooperation 
efficient when the Roebuck also apppared in full chase. The 
junction of these two frigates of course destroyed all hope of 
saving the vessel, and she must soon have fallen into the hands 
of the enemy, had she not chos(!n what was deemed the lesser 
evil of running ashore to avoid them. This was effected a 
few miles to the northward of the Cape; and the Americans, 
immediately upon perceiving it, despatched all their boats and 
men to assist in taking out the cargo, which they in great part 



40 



MEMOIR OF 



accomplished under a heavy fire from the frigates, which still 
continued to approach, evidently with the design of sending 
their boats to take possession of her. . Lieutenant Weeks, af 
the Surpi'ise, was killed, and several of the men in the boats 
were wounded, by one of the enemy's balls but the Americans 
persevered until they saw the boats of the enemy lowered and 
manned with double their number, when Captain Ban-y, who 
commanded this little expedition, ordered a quantity of the 
powder to be thrown loose into the hold, with a billet of burning 
wood wrapped in the mainsail over the hatchway, and then 
directed a retreat to then- several vessels. The design of Cap- 
tain Barry had been merely to destroy the vessel and the 
remainder of her cargo, to prevent either from being converted 
to the use of the enemy ; and this could not be done with any 
safety to his own boats, without so disposing of the fire as to 
leave them time to get beyond the effect of the explosion : but 
it proved, in the end, a terrible retribution upon the enemy for 
some of their many acts of wanton inhumanity; a few minutes 
after the men from their boats had boarded the stranded burque, 
the latent fire communicated with the loose powder, and a 
tremendous explosion followed, from which not one of the 
boarders escaped — the destruction was complete, and the loss 
to the enemy, in men and officers, must have been immense, 
judging from the number of dead bodies, mangled limbs, gold- 
laced hats, and other parts of an officer's equipment, which con- 
tinued to be thrown up on the shore for many days afterwards; 
for its extent was never otherwise ascertained. 

Barney was in one of the boats engaged in this little. affair; 
and though none of the party had mucli opportunity of gaining 
distinction, his great activity and quick perception of every- 
thing that the case required, attracted t1>e attention, and dwelt 
upon the memory,, of Captain Alexander, from whom he afier" 
wards received the highest marks of confidence and respect. 

After the boats had rejoined their respective vessels, the 
Wasp again weighed anchor and pursued her course up the 
Bay. This movement was perceived by the Roebuck and Liver- 
pool, who had been joined by an armed brig, serving as their 
tender, and the whole triad immediately pursued, with all sail 
set, determining no doubt to wreak upon the feeble Wasp the 
vengeance they owed for their late discomfiture and loss. Cap- 
tain Alexander, finding that they gained upon him ra[)idly, and 
that he must inevitably fall a prey if he trusted to the speed of 
his vessel, suddenly hauled his course to the wind and ran into 
Wilmington Creek, where he was safe from the pursuit of the 



COMMODORE BARNEY. 



41 



frigates, and ready for the brig if she should dare the contest 
alone. By the time he dropped anchor, night had come on and 
he was unable to discover how his pursuers had disposed of 
themselves ; but the next morning he found that both the frigates 
had come to anchor oiTihe mouth of the creek, where of course 
so long as they remained, he was effectually shut up unless he 
could achieve his deliverance by some daring stratagem, or 
some open enterprise of still greater hazard. 

It happened in the course of the previous day, while he was 
pursued by the enemy, that Captain Alexander had fallen in 
with several merchant vessels from Philadelphia, outward bound,. 
in total ignorance of the jeopardy into which they were running 
— all of which bespoke and ordered back to Philadelphia, and 
he bad the satisfaction of knowing that he had thus saved a 
very large amount of property. But this was not all — the re- 
turning vessels carried the information to the city, that the ene- 
my's sliips were approaching, and a number of row-galleys were 
immediately prepared under the command of Commodore Hazle- 
wood, to meet them. By uncommon exertion and activity, 
these galleys made their appearance before the enemy at an 
early hour in the morning ; a brisk cannonading instantly com- 
menced between them : the frigates found themselves under 
the necessity of weighing anchor, and the gallant commander of 
the Wasp thought this a favorable moment for atteuipiing some- 
thing that might assist in annoying the foe. His anchor was up 
in a moment ; the oars were ordered to be manned, and the 
schooner was rowed out of the creek. The enemy's brig, 
tender, already mentioned, was lying close under cover of the 
guns of the two frigates, but as the attention of the latter seem- 
ed- to be fully occupied with the galleys, Captain Alexander 
thought himselfjiistified in making the attempt to board her. 
No enterprise could be more daring; but he was well seconded 
by his young volunteer, and succeeded in carrying her oft'. 
Most luckily for him, at the moment the enemy perceived thir< 
bold and unexpected manoeuvre and made a movement to coun- 
teract it, the Roebuck grounded on the Jersey shore, and the 
Liverpool was thus compelled to come to anchor near her, that 
she might protect her from a similar attempt on the part of the 
galleys. By this opportune disaster of the enemy, Captain Al- 
exander got s'.ife oft' with his prize, sent her into a port a few 
miles below on the Jersey side, and reenterd Wilmington Creek 
in triumph a little before night-fall : the cannonading soon after- 
ward, ceased, and a perfect stillness prevailed throughout the 
night, to the great surprise of those on board the Wasp, who 
4* 



42 



MEMOIR OF 



confidently anticipated that an attempt would be made during 
the darkness, either to board or to set fire to the Roebuck, while 
she remained aground. 

On the succeeding morning, the atmosphere was so thick and 
hazy, that Captain Alexander, under the impression that the 
Roebuck was still aground, thought he might be able to pass, 
under cover of the fog, without being discovered, and with that 
purpose got under way at an early hour : he cleared the mouth 
of the creek, but at the moment he fancied himself free, the 
sun suddenly burst forth, the fog was dispersed, and he found 
himself almost aboard of the enemy's ship, which was no longer 
aground, but lying snugly at anchor, watching his motions. A 
light breeze accompanied the appearance of the sun, which en- 
abled him, before the Roebuck could weigh her anchor, to 
shoot a little ahead and gain the advantage of the wind. The 
ship, again disappointed of her prey, opened her whole broad- 
side upon the active little Wasp, which had no other effect than 
to retard her own motion; and hide the object of her pursuit 
from view in the cloud of smoke from her battery. She con- 
tinued the chase, keeping up a constant fire with her bow guns, 
for nearly an hour, the greater part of the time within the dis- 
tance of half a mile ; but her shot did little or no mischief; and 
by the help of oars, sails and tow-boats, which were all at work, 
the schooner at length gained sight of the galleys, which, for 
some reason or other, probably convincing to the judgment of 
the commander, had changed their position during the night, 
and were now returning to begin the attack anew. 

Captain Alexander, having reached the cover of the galleys, 
laid his top-sail aback, and waited to see whether he might be 
able to afibrd any assistance. This armament had been fitted 
out by the city of Philadelphia, under the direction of their 
Committee of Safety, and the commander, of course acted 
under the orders of the latter, and was entirely independent of the 
navy and its regulations. The small calibre of the Wasp's six 
guns rendered them entirely useless at the distance at which the 
galleys might opentheir batteries with effect, and the construction 
of the vessel, even had her metal been larger, would have 
prevented her from being able to take a position in line; but an 
occasion might occur in which she could become useful, and 
her captain at all events felt it his duty to remain near the gal- 
leys, however unpleasant it might be to a gallant spirit, to be a 
mere spectator in su'jh a scene. The presence of the Wasp 
turned out, in the end, to be a most fortunate circumstance. 
In the course of this second day's engagement between the 



COMMOOORE BARNEY. 



43 



galleys and the king's ship, which was kept up with considerable 
spirit until near night, one of the former sustained so great a 
loss in men, that there were , not enough left on board to man- 
age the oars, and she was compelled to give over the combat 
and drop astern. Barney who had been watching the action 
with intense interest, instantly perceived her situation, and ap- 
plied to his captain for permission to volunteer his services, with 
a sufficient number of the schooner's men. tore-man the galley 
and bring her again into action : the permission was readily 
given ; he boarded the crippled galley with men as willing as 
himself, brought her once more gallantly to maintain her share 
of the fight, and soon had the satisfaction of seeing the frigates 
retire from the combat. They were visibly much cut up : they 
had no sea room for manoeuvres, and were evidently glad ta 
escape : the galleys followed them as far as Newcastle, giving 
them an occasional long shot, and then seeing no chance of 
again coming up with them, they returned. Barney and his 
men remained with the galley until they delivered her safe in 
Philadelphia. 

It was certainly something for these galleys to boast of, that 
they had succeeded in driving two of the enemy's frigates from 
an important position, which they could not long have occupied 
without creating serious distress throughout one of the most 
populous districts on the Delaware ; but the citizens of Phila- 
delphia were far from being disposed to greet their returning 
Commodore with the expected ovation — many of them were 
loud in their censures, when they heard of the accident which 
had befallen the Roebuck, and which placed her as they 
thought, so much within the power of the galleys ; in their chagrin 
that sucli an opportunity for a brilliant exploit had been lost, 
they unjustly detracted from the raeri: of what had actually been 
done, and refused all credit to the conduct of the Commodore. 
This officer and his friends, on the contrary, declared that if any 
fault had been committed, the blame ought to fall upon the 
Committee of Safety, whose precise and explicit orders had been 
faithfully executed. — It is very difficult to determine whether 
any attempt upon the Roebuck, protected as she was by the 
Liverpool, would have been successful ; it would certainly have 
been attended with imminent hazard, and might have resulted 
in the total destruction of the assailants — but it cannot be de- 
nied, that the occasion was one which offered every inducement 
for an enterprise of gallantry, and that an officer ambitious of 
distinction, and unfettered by contrary orders, would have seized 
it with avidity. 



44 MEMOIR OP COMMODORE BARNEF. 

The recepiion of Captain Alexander and his officers was far 
more gratifying — the successful feat of the little Wasp was in 
everybody's mouth, and all the honors acquired in the two 
days' tilting with the enemy, were decreed to them. A few 
days after his return to Philadelphia, Captain Alexander re- 
ceived from the Congress a commission as Captain in the Navy, 
and was transferred to the command of one of tlie new ships, 
the Delaware, of 28 guns. He did not forget, in his report 
to the Marine Committee, to speak of his young volunteer, Bar- 
ney, in the warmest terms of eulogy, and the latter was, in con- 
sequence ordered to take charge of the Sloop Sachem, and 
superintend her equipment lor a cruise. He was, for a little 
time, elated beyond measure, at the idea that he was to com- 
mand the Sachem on her destined criuse, and entered upon his 
labors with an alacrity that intermitted neither night nor dayj 
he forgot that he was an unknown boy, not quite seventeen, and 
that the sober patriots, from whom alone such an honor could 
come, had heard of him only as a ' promising youth who might 
in time deserve a lieutenant's commission !' — But his delusion 
did not last very long. When he had got the sloop nearly- 
ready for sea, he received an order, couched in the polite terms 
of an invitation, to wait upon th6 Honorable Robert Morris, 
President of the Marine Committee : he obeyed it upon the 
instant, and being ushered into the presence of this excellent 
patriot and meritorious citizen, he was asked if his name was 
Barney'^ — He answered in the aflirmative, and Mr Morris, 
taking from his pocket a paper, presented it to him, with these 
words: — 'The Committee have heard of your good beha- 
viour, Mr Barney, during theengagement with the enemy in the 
Delaware, and have authorized me to offer you this letter of 
Appointment as a Lieutenant in the JVavy of the United 
States. I will add, for myself, that if you continue to act with 
the same bravery and devotion to the cause of our country on 
future occasions, you shall always find in me a friend ready and 
happy to serve you !' — The kind and paternal tone in which 
Mr Morris uttered this brief address,, deeply affected his young 
protege, who felt much more grateful for the personal interest 
of such a man, than for the unsolicited honor conveyed in the 
paper : he was far from bein^ insensible, however, to the latter, 
short as it fell of i)is recent ambitious reveries ; he accepted it 
as an earnest of future advancement, and made still further pro- 
gress in the good opinion of Mr Morris, by the manly self-pos- 
session which marked his manner of receiving it. We may add 
here, that Mr Morris, to the day of his death, never withdrew 
the friendship offered on this occasion. 



CHAPTER V. 

Captain Isaiah Robinson takes command of the Sachem. — They sail on a 
Cruise — engage and capture a British Letter of Marque of superior force, 
altera desperate action of two hours — return to Philadelphia with their 
prize. — Lord North lises a fine Turtle '. — Captain R. and Lieut. B.irney are 
transferred to the Andrea Doria. — They proceed to St t^ustatia — their Sa- 
lute of the Fort is returned by the Dutch Governor. — Severe Action with the 
British sloop Kace-hoise — • tables turned' upon Admi al Par r. — • ap- 
ture of a British snow. — Lieut. Barney put on board as Prize-Master. — 
Tempest on the coast — perilous situation of the snow on the Chincoteague 
Shoals. — Instance of Lieut. B 's firmness and intrepidity. — The weather 
modniates — he sails fir the Chesapeake — is driven off the Capes by a Snow- 
storm — chased by a British Ship — part of his crew mutiny — his conduct 
on the occasion — captured by the Peiseus and carried to Charleston — Rea- 
counter on bnard between the Purser of the Perseus and Barney. — Hon- 
orable Condujt of Capt. Elphin.-tone — Barney is released on Pax.le — tra- 
vels on horseback — his revenge upon the Tories — arrival at Philadelphia 
— is discharged from his parole — and returns to the Andrea Doria. 

The events which we have related at the close of the last 
chapter, occurred about die 20diof June, 1776. By the first of 
the succeeding month, Captain Isaiah Robinson arrived, to take 
command of the sloop Sacliem, and as her equipment had, in 
the meantime, been fully completed, on the 6th day of July — 
the 17th anniversary of Lieutenant Barney's birth-day — they 
sailed from Philadelphia on a cruise. The Declaration of In- 
dependence, which had been passed by a vote of Congress but 
two days before, produced so little of that noise and tumult of 
rejoicing which its celebration since has annually excited, that 
but for the official communication of the fact to Captain Robin- 
son, the officers of the sloop could hardly have known from any 
demonstrations around them, that an event of such awful im- 
portance had taken place. No change occurred in their orders, 
and they left the harbor without the slightest consciousness that 
they, or their country, were more independent then, than they 
had been since the battle of Bunker's Hill, They passed 
down the Bay, and got out to sea, without seeing anything of 
the British frigates ; but they had not been many days at sea, 
before they fell in with a letter of marque brig, under Eng- 



46 



MEMOIR OP 



lish colors, which seemed to be heavily armed, and well dis- 
posed to dispute the right of question. An' action commenced 
between ihem, which was severely contested for the space of 
two hours, at the end of which time the brig hauled down her 
colors and demanded quarter. The weight of metal on board 
the letter of marque was much superior to that of the Sachem, 
and if she had been as well manned and as skilfully managed, 
the contest must soon have terminated in her favor. Her offi- 
cers and crew fought with the most desperate courage, and for 
the force engaged on each side, the history of our nuval war- 
fare furnishes but few examples of a sliarper conflict. The 
brig's loss in killed and wounded amounted to nearly half her 
crew, and on board the sloop every officer was either killed or 
wounded, with the exception of the Captain and Lieutenant 
Barney — several of the crew were killed and more than a 
third disabled. 

The prize proved to be from the Island of Jamaica, bound to 
London, with a cargo of rum ; and, as faithful copyists of the 
record before us, we are bound to mention, that she had also on 
board ' a large turtle, with the name of Lord JVorth carved 
on the shell ! ' This delicious present, upon which the noble 
minister might have feasted the Lord Mayor of London and his 
Board of Aldermen, was destined to grace the humbler board 
of an American patriot — it was sent by Lieutenant Barney, 
on his arrival at Philadelphia, to his friend Robert Morris. 

The crippled condition of the Sachem, after this severe engage- 
ment, imposed upon Captain Kobinson the necessity of returning 
immediately to Philadelphia in coa)pany with Wis prize, on board 
of which he was compelled to put his first lieutenant, Barney, 
contraiy to usage, there being no other officer able to do duty. 
Fortunately, they both got back in safety ; and the sense en- 
tertained of their good conduct, by the Marine Commitcee, was 
almost immediately afterwards evinced, by an order transfer- 
ring both officers to a larger vessel — the Andrea Doria, a fine 
brig of 14 guns. This vessel was then lying ready for sea, 
and in a few days they were again upon the broad ocean. 

The orders of Captain Robinson were to proceed directly to 
St Eustatia, to take in a quantity of small arms and ammuni- 
tion (which, notwithstanding the neutrality of the states of Hol- 
land, had been deposited there for the use of our army, subject 
to the order of Congress,) and to return itnmediately home with 
it. These orders necessarily abridged their liberty of cru'sing, 
but they knew that a large British fleet under Admiral Parker, 
lay somewhere in the West Indies, and they were not without 



COMMODORi; BARNEY. 



47 



hope of meeting, and the chance of pushing their good fortune. 
— On their arrival at St Eustatia, they fired a salute to the fort, 
which the Governor, with more coiriplaisance tiian prudence, 
returned — forgetting that he thus took upon himself to ac- 
knowledge the independence of their flag, before their High 
Mightinesses at the Hague had decided, whether to listen to 
the remonstrances of Sir Josepli Yorkc, or to the solicitations 
of Dr Franklin: for this premature instance of conrtesv, the 
Governor was afterwards displaced, on the complaint of the 
English government ; — the fact, nevertheless, that he did re- 
turn the salute of the Andrea Dorin, contradicts the ireierjilly 
. received impression, that Captain Paul Jones was the first Ameri- 
can officer, to whom such an honor had been paid by a foreign 
power : it was not until February, 1778, that Jones's salute was 
returned by the French Admiral at Brest. 

After receiving on board the arms and ammunition — which 
our kind friends in Holland I'i I not hesitate to supply us. in the 
way of trade, notwithstanding their neutrality — the brig de- 
parted from St Eusta'tia, on her return to tlie Delaware. Off 
the west end of the Island of Porto Rico, they discovered an 
armed ship under enemy's colors, bearing down upon them 
with every disposition for battle — an invitaiion which was ea- 
gerly accepted by the Andrea Doria. They met; the flag of the 
Union was hoisted under the dischnrge of a b o d-side from 
the Brig, which the sloop was not slow in returning ; the action 
was long and vigorously maintained, but at the end of two hours, 
the British ensign was seen descending upon the deck of the 
sloop, and the firing ceased. The prize turned oiit to be the 
Race-horse, of 12 guns, commanded by Lieutenant Jones of 
the Royal Navy, and manned with a jnckcd creiv — having 
been sent, as was afterwards ascertained, on her present expe- 
dition, by Admiral Parker, for the express purpose of inter- 
cepting the Andrea Doria, of whose visit and object at St Eus- 
tatia he had been informed. This gave additional zest to the 
victory, and created a feeling in the officers of the AiTierican 
brig somewhat akin to that, which the Jews at the Cotu't of King 
Ahasuerus experienced, when 'they hanged Hainan on the 
gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai' — nee est lexjvstior 
ulla ! — Lieutenant Jones, and two of his officers, were severely- 
wounded in the action, a number of his men were killed, and 
the greater part of them more or less dangerously wounded : 
his vessel was very much cut to pieces, in hull, spars, and rig- 
ging, before he consented to make the signal of surrender. The 
Andrea Doiia had three or four killed, and about double that 



48 



MEMOIR OF 



number wounded. Having secured the prisoners, and given 
command of the prize to his second lieutenant, Mr Dunn, 
Captain Robinson pursued his course to the Delaware. 

A lew days after this event, the brig fell in with, and ca tur- 
ed, an English snow, from Jamaica, on board which Lieutenant 
Barney was sent as prize-master. The snow was armed ; but 
as the Andrea Doria was unable tQ spare many of her crewj 
already weakened by the necessity of manning her first prize. 
Lieutenant Barney undertook to make up his con)|:)lement among 
the prisoners, and succeeded in inducing several to enter with 
him. 

It was now late in the month of December ; and as they ap- 
proached our stormy coast, they soon began to leel the influence 
of hose sudden and tremendous blasts from the northwest and 
east, which render our navigation at this season so difficult and 
dangerous. A constant succession of violent gales continued, 
for twelve days, ro render vain all efibrts to direct the course of 
the vessel. In one of the earliest of these storms, the prize 
lost sight of the Andrea Doria, and Lieutenant Barney was left 
to the guidance of his own discretion. On the 25ih at night, 
his vessel was driven among the breakers on Chincoieague 
shoals, the gale then blowing furiously f)om the east, hi this 
dreadlul situation, he was conipelled to throw out his anchor, 
as ofieiing tlie only, though but faint, hope of safety — every 
sea broke over the vessel with a force that no human strength 
could resist, and to save them from being washed overboard he 
ordered all the crew into the tops, where he himself followed, 
expecting every instant that the cable would part, or that the 
vessel would drag her anchor and be dashed to pieces on the 
rocks. In this comfortless and horrible position, he remained 
with his men all night, watching with anxious eye the eastern 
horizon, that he might catch the first glimmer of the dawn. At 
length the tardy, long-vvished-for light appeared ; but the uncer- 
tainty of the darkness had been happiness, compared to the 
gloom of the prospect which day opened to his view — astern 
of him, at a short distance, he saw the land — all around him, 
the breakers literally mountains high — the eastern gale still 
blowing with unabated fury — on every side, death, in its most 
appalling, least resistible form, stared him in the face. The 
situation was one which no human skill, nor courage, nor labqr, 
could meliorate ; but it is in such situations that the truly brave 
man finds his advantage over his weaker fellows ; he dies but 
once, while they, ' die many times before their deaths,' in the 
terrors of anticipation. Upon looking around at his companions 



COMMODORE BARNEY. 49 

in this calamity, he perceived that many of them were fast sink- 
ing, under the combined operation of cold, want of sleep, and 
fear ; these he endeavored to rouse into an exertion of fortitude 
and patience, by recalling to their minds how recently they had 
been exposed, to equal or greater hazard of death, from the 
guns of the enemy, and comparing their present cowardice with 
the manhood and firmness they had exhibited on that occasion. 
— ' I am not much of a chaplain, my good lads,' said he, in a 
tone of fearless confidence — ' and know very little about his 
palaver and such stuff; but this I know, that the same Power 
that protected you then, can protect you now, and if we are all 
to go to old JDavy Joneses locker, why d — n it, we might as well 
go with a bold face as a sheepish one !' — This brief harangue 
had the desired effect ; if it did not seem to be quite so pious as 
the chaplain would have made his discourse on such an occa-' 
sion, perhaps it enforced more strongly, in terms better under- 
stood, a trust in the saving power of the Deity, and the neces- 
sity of resignation to his will : the crew became more cheerful ; 
they began to recount, each in turn, the various storms and 
shipwrecks they had experienced ; they shook off by degrees 
all signs of apprehension and fear, and catching from the exam- 
ple of their young lieutenant a portion of his intrepidity, they 
soon displayed as much fortitude as himself. — At length, the 
cry of ' sail, ho !' shouted, at the top of his lungs, from one of 
the men, awakened ' some sparkles of a better hope' in every 
breast: — they discovered a small sloop, at no great distance 
from them, and apparently bearing towards them : with what 
anxiety they watched her, may be easily imagined. — ' She '11 
never weather it!' — 'Yes, yes, she rides it gloriously !' — ' Ha ! 
that fellow gave her a terrible blow — 'well done, my little 
cruiser, she 's up again !' — ' She strikes — O God ! it 's ail over !' 
— ' Do you see her, now, Tom?' — ' Shivered, shivei'ed, into 
ten thousand atoms !' — One loud and piercing shriek, mingling 
with the terrific howl of the blast, and borne far above the thun- 
dering roar of the breakers, fell upon their ears — it was the 
last cry of mortal agony, the last effort of hum.an helplessness : 
they looked again — no vestige of vessel or crew was visible ; 
all was swallowed up in the arching surge. To describe the 
faintness that again seized upon the hearts of Barney's men, 
while they slill clung, with the grasp of despair to the rigging in 
the tops of the plunging vessel, would be impossible : they be- 
lieved that the scene of horror which they had just witnessed, 
was but the prefiguraiion of their own inevitable destiny, and no 
effort could again inspire them with hope, or courage to look 
5 



50 



MEMOIR OP 



calmly on the fate that awaited them. Lieutenant Barney him- 
self had not the faintest hope of preservation ; but, even amid 
the lond vvailings of his enervated crew, whose deference and 
respect for their officer were lost in their absorbing fears of a 
higher power, he maintained the serenity of fortitude and resig- 
nation. For n)any weary hours longer, nothing occmred to 
lighten the gloom of their situation — hunger began to add its 
torments to the misery of their prospect ; but contrary to all ex- 
pectation, the anchor — in this instance the true emblem of 
Hope — stood firm, and the well-twisted cable seemed to defy 
the endless friction of the hawse : while these continued true to 
their service, the winds might blow, and the waves break over 
them — there was nothing to fear but the effects of wakelulness 
and inanition. — Late in the afternoon of the 26th, the wind 
suddenly shifted, and the weather became moderate. — ' Down 
from the tops, my men,' cried Barney, ' man the capstan, and 
away with the anchor !' The crew were another set of beings, 
alert, obedient, cheerful, as if no danger had ever assailed them, 
and in five minutes the snow was under way, clear of the 
breakers. 

On the 27th, Lieutenant Barney got into the harbor of Chin- 

coteague, where he remained to refresh himself and his 
1777 wearied crew until the 2d of January, 1777, when, in 

company with several other vessels that had sought shel- 
ter there from the storms, he proceeded to sea, with the design 
of taking his prize into his native city. On the following day, 
being within a few hours sail of Cape Henry, there came on a 
severe snow-storm, which drove him again off the coast, and de- 
feated all his efforts to get into the Chesapeake. On the 4th, while 
still making every exertion to weather the Cape, he was chased 
by a ship of war, which he did not doubt belonged to the enemy : 
he ordered every stitch of canvas to be set, believing that he 
should be able to make good his escape ; but at this moment, 
the prisoners, whom we have already mentioned as having been 
induced by Lieutenant Barney to enter with him on bjard the 
snow, became mutinous, and refused to do duty. A single 
glance at the rascals as they stood insolently before him, discov- 
ered to him which was the ringleader in this untimely rebellion 
— he drew a pistol from his belt, and ordered the fellow, upon 
peril of his life, to go instantly to his station, and assist in mak- 
ing sail ; the man persisted in his refusal, and added some words 
of menace — Barney, without another word, fired his pistol, the 
contents of which passed through the man's shoulder. This 
proof that their young commander was not to be trifled with, 



COMMODORE BARNEY. 



51 



intlmidaled the other mutineers, who proceeded without further 
hesitiuioii to obey orders ; but it was now too late — the ship 
had gained upon them so rapidly, while tliis little affair was in 
transaction, that they were soon overtaken and captured, by his 
IVlajestv's ship Perseus of 20 guns, commanded by the Honor- 
able Geoi-ge Keith Elphinstone. As soon as the crew of the 
snow were transferred to the Perseus, the mutineer upon whom 
Lieutenant B irney had inflicted the summary chastisement with 
his pistol, made complaint to Captain EI|)hinstone, in the expect- 
ation no doubt that some instant and signal retribution would be 
made to fall upon the young American ; but the honorable com- 
mander of the Perseus, after Inaring out the fellow's own version 
of the circumstances, without putting a single question to the 
American officer, declared that the latter had done no more than 
he would himself have done in a similar situation, and the com- 
plainant had the mortification to find himself dismissed with a 
severe reprimand where he had looked for sympathy and 
rediess. 

The Perseus, having manned and despatched her prize to 
one of His Majesty's loyal ports, proceeded to the South, with 
the view, as it appeared, of effecting an exchange of prisoners 
(of whom she had a number on board previous to the recap- 
ture of the snow), at Charleston, where it was known that a 
number of loyalists were held in confinement, consisting chiefly 
of the emigrants from the Highlands of Scotland, whom Gov- 
ernor Martin, of North Carolina, had induced to embody them- 
selves and take up arms in the royal cause. Upon his arrival 
off the harbor of this city. Captain Elphinstone sent in a flag 
of truce to explain his purpose, and a pilot-boat was soon 
after despatched by the authorities on shore, with such of the 
prisoners on board as were fortunate enough to fall within the 
terms of exchange. A novel and extraordinary incident oc- 
curred, on this occasion, which we relate not only as affording 
an apt illustration of the indomitable spirit of our young lieuten- 
ant, but because it gives us, at the same time, an opportunity 
of payine: a tribute of respect to the honorable character of the 
British Commander, — When the prisoners from the shore 
were brought on board the Perseus, the purser of the ship — 
who was a Scotchman — seeing so many of his countrymen 
among them, became very officious in questioning them as to 
the treatment they had received while in the hands of the 
' rebels.' One of them, assuming to speak for his fellow-pris- 
oners, answered that they had been ' used very ill, having re- 
ceived nothing to eat but bad rice mixed with sand ! ' — the 



52 



MEMOIR OF 



purser's Highland blood waxed hot as he listened to this solu- 
tion of his queries, and turning fiercely around upon Lieutenant 
Barney, who had been quietly standing by, he gave hiui a blow 
with his fist, without uttering even a solitary word by way of 
prelude. With the quickness of liglitning, Barney — prisoner 
as he was, and surrounded on all sides by foes — returned the 
blow with such well aimed force, that he laid his assailant 
sprawling over one of the quarter-deck guns, and therice, with 
a rapidity of motion that defied all interference, kicked him 
fairly down tiie hatchway ! — For a moment the whole deck 
was in a tumult, and the infuriated Scotclimen would indubita- 
bly have sacrificed the daring ' rebel' to their esp>'it du corps, 
had not Captain Elphinstone opportunely made his appearance 
upon deck. He demanded the cause of the unwonted com- 
motion which had disturbed him, and one of his officers having 
given him an impartial detail of the circumstances, he called 
the purser and Mr Barney to follow him into his cabin. When 
they had all entered it, he closed the door, and addressing his 
purser in a tone of severe indignation, told him that he had 
acted the part of a coward, had disgraced himself forever, and 
dishonored His Majesty's service, by a wanton, unprovoked in- 
sult, to a disarmed prisoner — ' there is but one way,' he added, 
* of atoning for this enormity : down upon your knees, sir, and 
crave Mr Barney's pardon and oblivion of the ofi:ence ! ' — 
The purser, however, who, had he been left to the suggestion 
of his own sober reflection, would probably have volunteered 
any reasonable apology for an outrage which he could not ex- 
cuse, boldly refused to make the abject submission required of 
him, and, no doubt, by this very refusal, in some measure soft- 
ened the anger of his captain, who no longer insisted upon the 
humiliating order but contented himself with placing the offend- 
er under arrest. He then turned to Lieutenant Barney, and 
offered, on his own part, the most gentlemanly apology tor the 
insult he had received on board a ship which he had the honor 
to command. — Thus the affair ended at the time: whether 
the purser was ever brought to trial, or what became of him, 
never cam.e to the knowledge of Barney, who was so perfectly 
satisfied with the punishment he had liimself inflicted upon him, 
that he would willingly have saved him, if his interposition 
could have done it, from any additional humiliation. — As soon 
as the pilot-boat was ready to return with the exchanged pris- 
oners. Lieutenant Barney — who, though not included in the 
exchange, was permitted to retire on parole — took leave of 
the Perseus, entertaining a grateful sense of the polite and 



COMMODORE BARNEV. 53 

honorable treatment lie had experienced while on board, not 
only from Captain Elphinstone, but (with the exception just 
mentioned) from every one of his officers. 

Upon landing at Charleston, he applied immediately to the 
Agent of the United States for that station, to be furnished 
with the means of prosecuting his return to Philadelphia ; and 
having received from that officer the requisite sum of money 
for the purpose, he purchased a horse and commenced his 
journey without delay, in company with three other officers 
who had been his fellow-prisoners on board the Perseus. 

ft was about the middle of February, when these ' Horse 
Marines,' as they jocosely styled themselves, entered upon 
their unaccustomed mode of navigation [hrou^h the sands, and 
pines, and morasses of the Carolinas. Tlie upper p.irts of 
these two Slates, or the back country, as it was then called, had 
been settled almost exclusively — particularly that of North 
Carolina — by emigrants from the Highlands of Scotland, who 
had retained their affection for George IH. and their allegiance 
as British subjects, under all changes of measures or ministers. 
These loyalists had constituted the larger portion of the troops, 
at the head of whom General Macdonald, a leader of their 
own selection, had recently made his unsuccessful attempt to 
gain possession of Wilmington, in the State last mentioned, in 
pursuance of a cunningly devised project of Governor Martin. 
Their co-settlers of the back country, and companions on that 
occasion, were the famous ' regulators,' so named, quasi lucus 
a non lucendo, because, in their general conduct and character, 
they evinced a thorough contempt for everything regular, or- 
derly, and decent — being always ready to regulate others, but 
never willing themselves to be regulated ; and therefore, per- 
haps, after all, their appellative was the most appropriate one 
that could have been adopted, for the purpose of giving them 
historical distinction. How the British Governor, Martin, con- 
trived to bring into union and cooperation two classes of men, 
so totally different in all their habits, sentiments, and motives, 
those only who have had an opportunity of studying his long 
correspondence with them both, would be able to explain : the 
fact is certain, whatever may have been the arts or inducement, 
resorted to, that he did succeed in amalgamating these hetero- 
geneous materials, and transmuting their characteristic antipa- 
thies into the closest sympathy ; — that he failed in the ulti- 
mate object he had hoped to effect by bringing them together, 
was owing rather to tlie activity of the Americans in assembling 
to counteract its execution, than to any material defect in his 
, 5* 



54 



MEMOIR OP 



plan ; it was impossible to conceal their march, and the party 
were met, before they reached Wilmington, by Colonel Moore 
with a body of Provincials, and totally routed and dispersed, 
Macdonald himself and many of his men being taken prisoners. 
The exchange effected on board the Perseus included, as we 
have said, a number of these men : those of Macdonald's party 
who had been fortunate enough to escape from the pursuit of 
Colonel Moore, returned to their several abodes, with loyalty 
undiminished, and with feelings tenfold embittered against the 
Americans and their cause, by recent defeat. 

Lieutenant Barney and his three comrades, were under the 
necessity of travelling through this colony of ' Scotch tories,' 
as the whole body of settlers we have briefly described were 
indiscriminately called, by the revolutionists and their friends ; 
and it may be readily imagined, that their journey was far from 
being an agreeable or a peaceful one. They met with insults 
and interruptions wherever they appeared, and were not always 
able to procure, even at double prices, the necessary refresh- 
ment for themselves and horses. At the little village of Ci'oss 
Creek, they found themselves so much fatigued from the un- 
wonted exercise of riding, added to the annoyances from the 
source we have mentioned, that they agreed to halt there for a 
day in order to recover some of their lost vigor, as well as to 
give rest to their jaded hacks. In the course of the afternoon, the 
tavern, in which they had hoped to find quiet and rei)ose, was 
suddenly invaded by a numerous company of 'tories'ai:d 'reg- 
ulators,' who seemed bent upon mischief. They soon began 
to assail the young officers, whom they sought to ))rovoke >nto a 
quarrel by a torrent of scurrility and abuse, and every species of 
wanton insult short of actual blows; but the Americans were 
prude.it enough to bear it all without retort, and thus showed 
that they possessed ' the better part of valour,' discretion — for 
their insulters, who were at least five times their number, having 
indulged themselves to satiety in the language of provocation, 

and finding that the 'd d young rebels' were as unmoved by 

it as so many statues would have been, at last retired, uttering 
loud curses upon the rebel Congress and shouting ' God 
save the King !' — At a late hour in the night. Lieutenant Bar- 
ney found out, by some means or other, that four or five of these 
brawlers still remained in the village and were then asleep in 
a small house at no great distance from the tavern ; he roused 
his companions, to impart to them the information, and to propose 
a scheme of revenge, by which they might, at the same time, 
' have a little fun !' He found his fellow-travellers as ripe for 



COMMODORE BARNEY. 



55 



the sport as himself, and while they were getting out of bed 
and dressing themselves for the occasion, he called up the land- 
lord, made him get a bottle of rum, and prepare for him one of 
the resinous, pine sticks which had served all the evening in 
place of the more expensive light of candles. By the time 
this was done, his friends were ready to join him, and they all 
sallied forth by the blaze of the pitch-flambeau, bottle in hand 
to the house in which Barney had ' treed his game,' to use a 
phrase of the opossum hunters. Arrived here, they found no 
difficulty in gaining entrance, and having secured the door be- 
hind them, as well as they could, they proceeded to wake up the 
'tories,' who were sound asleep in the loft. Terribly alarmed 
at being thus disturbed, and not doubting that the whole ' rebel 
army' were upon them, the roused sleepers came tumbling over 
each other down the narrow ladder that formed the only com- 
munication with their place of lodging, crying out as they fell 
upon what was literally the ground floor — ' We surrender !' — 
' We surrender !' This unexpected overture to their farce, threw 
the young officers into such a paroxysm of mirth, that, if the 
other party had not been so completely overcome by surprise, 
the laugh might soon have been turned against them, with a re- 
sult much more tragical than they intended ! but fortunately, 
they resumed their gravity, before the prostrate foe had time to 
recover from their consternation, and thus preserved their ad- 
vantage. They made ' the toiies' kneel down in a line, and 
each in his turn drink a bumper of whiskey, prefaced by cer- 
tain patriotic toasts of Barney's dictation, such as ' Success to 
Congress !' — the reverse of ' God save the King !' and many 
similar, pithy sentiments, in fashion with the jolly ' Independ- 
ents' of the day. These toasts and bumpers were repeated, 
until ' John Barleycorn' gave up the ghost, or, in other words, 
until the bottle was emptied ; and such was the genial influence 
of both united upon the kneeling bibbers, that, before the last 
round of the glass they would all have willingly enlisted under 
the banners of the ' brave captain,' who knew so well ' how to 
lake a joke.' — Perfectly satisfied with their ' revenge' upon 
' the tories,' the young travellers now returned to their tavern. 
By this time daylight was beginning to show itself — the land- 
lord and his household were early stirrers, and in a few minutes 
cooked them a breakfast of fried bacon and ' Johnny-cake ;' 
their horses were brought to the door as fresh and lively as ever, 
and before sunrise they were once more on the road. 

The little party arrived at Philadelphia early in March, hav- 
ing been nineteen days on their journey from Charleston. 



56 



MEMOIR OF 



Here it was the irksome fate of Lieutenant Barney to remain, 
for many months, an inactive spectator of the bustling scenes 
around him ; for no opportunity of exchange occurred, and be- 
ing under the obligation of parole, he could neither return to 
his vessel, nor take part in any act of hostility against the ene- 
my. He did not, however, pass this interval of leisure in idle- 
ness or unprofitable aniuseineni ; he was now old enough to be 
sensible that he had quitted school at too early a period of his 
life, and that his education was much more defective than he 
had been willing then to believe it : he applied himself assidu- 
ously to the study of mathematics and the French language, 
and read with great avidity many works of History and Biog- 
raphy ; he occasionally attended, also, the debates in Congress, 
and thus became belter acquainted with the nature of the strug- 
gle in which his country was engaged, and more able to defend 
her cause in the only way in which, as a non-combatant, he 
could undertake her defence. Seven months were spent in 
these improving studies, until, at length, late in October, to his 
great joy, he received the following letter from his honorable 
captor, Captain Elphinstone. 

' Perseus, off the Horse-Shoe. 7 
20th Oct. '77. 5 

' Sir, — Patrick Henry, Esquire, Governor of Virginia, hav- 
ing signified to me in his letter of this date, that Lieutenant 
Moriarty, of the Solebay, may be exchanged for Lieutenant 
Barney of tiie Andrea Doria, the former is now sent to Hanover 
county, about sixty miles from this place ; 1 give orders today 
for his coming down. He will go oft' when he arrives; in con- 
se(juence of which promise of exchange, I do hereby dis- 
charge you from your parole, leaving you at liberty to return 
in the flag of truce. 1 am, sir. 

Your most obedient servant, 

George Keith Elphinstone. 

• Mr Barney, of the Andrea Doria.' 

Nothing could have been more unexpected, or more fortunate 
for Mr Barney, than the chance which threw Lieutenant Mo- 
riarty, just at tliis moment, into the hands of Governor Henry. 
This officer had been sent upon a watering party in the Chesa- 
peake, and together with his boat's crew had been captured by 
the vigilant Virginians, v»'io had their eyes upon every spot along 
their shores, that offered any inducement to a visit from the 
enemy, either for the purpose of refreshment or depredation. 
One of the most active periods of the war was just approach- 



COMMODORE BARNEY. 



57 



mg, which, but for this lucky occurrence. Lieutenant Barney 
would have been compelled to pass in inglorious ease, instead of 
participating, as he was now free to do, and did, in some of its 
most trying scenes; for, after this, no other opportunity of 
exchange offered, until the campaign was over, and the con- 
tending forces had retired to their respective winter quarters. 
The moment Captain Elphinstone's letter of release came into 
his hands. Lieutenant Barney hastened on board the Andrea 
Doria, which formed a part of the force that had been prepared 
for the water defence of Philadelphia, and where he was re- 
ceived by Captain Robinson and his former messmates with 
a hearty and cheering welcome. In the figurative language of 
the gun-deck, many a 'long yarn' was spun, and many a quid 
reduced to the condition of an ' old soldier,' before all the ad- 
ventures, which had happened during their ten months' separa- 
tion, were mutually recounted. Of these Barney had by far the 
largest share to relate, for both the Aiidrea Doria and her prize 
the Race-horse, had escaped the perils of the tempest in 
which he and his unfortunate snow had suffered so much, and 
had arrived in Philadelphia without encountering a single ad- 
venture that could be worked up into a tale of interest ; while 
on the contrary, his shooting a mutineer, his monoinachy with 
the purser on the quarter-deck of the Perseus, and his mid- 
night waggery with ' the tories,' were called for and repealed 
over and over again, to the infinite entertainment of the mess. 



CHAPTER VI 



Historical Sumniiry. — Sir William Howe takes possession of Philadelphia. — 
Tlie Enemy's Fleet enters the Delawarn. — Tremendous Bombardment of 
Mud Island Fort. — Notice of (lieutenant Col. Samuel Smith. — Anecdote 
of Moses Porter, and brief Account of his Services. — F'a!l of ftjud Island 
and Red Bank. — The Americans set fire to their Fleet, and escape in their 
smnll boats to Bordentown. — Lieutenant Barni-y is appointed first officer of 
the Virginia Frigate — is sent to Baltiraoie with a Detachment of Seamen 
for that Vessel — marches by the way of Valley Forge. — The sufferings of 
his men on the march from the scvei ities of the weather. — He delivera 
them on board the Virginia — has command of ihe Frigate's Tender — recap- 
tures an American .Sloop with the crew of an enemy's Barge on board — 
His generous treatment of the prisoners gratefully acknowledged. — The Vir- 
ginia attempts to go lo sea — is run aground between the Capes. — Extraor- 
dinary conduct of her Commander. — The enemy board and take |)Ossession 
of her. — Bainey is put on board the Emerald. — Humane character of Cap- 
tain Caldwell — his popularity with the Americans at Hampton — Governor 
Henry's invitation and pres' nt to him. — Captain Caldwell's conduct con- 
trasted with that of other British Officers. 

The year 1777, from its beginning to its close, was in many 
respects the gloomiest of the seven through vvhicli our revolution- 
ary fathers were compelled to struggle, for the attainment of 
that inestimable blessing which their children are now so thank- 
lessly enjoying. It was a year of incessant peril, privation, anx- 
iety, and toil. An occasional brilliant exploit, it is true, both 
by sea and land, would serve to cheer for a moment, the hearts 
of Congress and the people ; but when the temporary excite- 
ment was over, and the view was once more turned to the as- 
pect of things around them, nothing was visible but dreariness 
and gloom. 

If the British army, at this period, had been commanded by 
such a man as Washington — or, indeed, by any man who valued 
reputation more than ease, — our little force would have 
been annihihited long before the summer harvests were gathered 
in, and another generation might, in all probability, have passed 
away, before the subdued and dispirited colonies could again 
have ventured to raise the standard of revolt : at least, it seems 
to be certain, that the achievement of independence must have 



MEMOIR OF COMMODORE BARNEY ' 59 

been retarded, for many a dark year of sufFerlng and oppres- 
sion. But it pleased Heaven to send us, in Sir William Howe, 
a man whose indolence and love of pleasure so far predomina- 
ted over all manhood, sense of duty, and desire of fame, that 
for more than nine months he kept an army of thirty thousand 
men — veteran, well-appointed, and eager for action — wast- 
ing their energies in idleness and dissipaiion, within little more 
than a day's march of a mere handful of raw, half-clad, half- 
armed recruits, upon whose fate rested the sole, feeble hope of 
that independence, which he was sent to crush in the bud ! It 
is not possible to accoimt f )r the unmilitary, weak, and tad y 
movements of this highly trusted officer, iniless we may believe, 
that God, in his mercy, Idinded him to the advantages within his 
reach, in order to preserve our Washington, as an example to 
all future ages of pure and virtuous patriotism, that no adver 
sity could weaken, no prosperity tempt, and of greatness, un- 
sullied by a single thought ol personal ambition. 

Alter allowing the American commander-in-chief time to 
discipline his little army — which, during the greater part of 
the summer, did not exceed four, and at no time amounted to 
ten tlnusand men — and opportunities to parform some of 
the most brilliant feats of generalship that ever were displayed 
by such a force, so situated, wiiile he, in New York, was 
stretching his faculties, and tasking the wits of his satellites, to 
invent new modes of pleasure and new sources of voluptuous 
enjoyment, Sir William Howe at last determined to take the 
field in person, and, as everybody expected to make an attack 
upon the American Capital of Pliiladelphia. So nmch, how- 
ever, did this extraordinary general differ from all other military 
men, in his tactics and plans of operation, that he disdained to 
adopt the obvious and easy m.ethod of accomplishing his pur- 
pose, by a direct march through the Jersey's, and, to the aston- 
ishment of all who were acquainted with the object of his ex- 
pedition, embarked his whole army, (except a small garrison 
left to hold possession of New York,) on board his fleet — thus 
not only trusting, unnecessarily, to the hazards of the winds 
and waves, but making a ridiculous circuit of half our exten- 
sive sea coast, that he might have the pleasure of attacking 
Philadelphia in the rear ! He embarked his army at New 
York on the 5th of July, and, passing by the Delaware, with a 
demonstration just sufficient to make known his object, entered 
the Chesapeake Bay, and landed at Elkton, in Maryland, on 
the 24th of August. At this point, he was almost at as great a 
distance from the object of his attack, as he was at the point 



60 



MEMOIR OP 



of embarkation ; his march was over a more hilly road, and 
not a single facility, in a military point of view, was increased. 
It could hardly have been his design, by this circuitous route, 
to surprise the American general ; for this would have evinced 
an ignorance of the character of Washington, which we ven- 
ture to say the meanest soldier in the British army would have 
been ashamed to confess, after the numerous proofs he had 
witnessed of his unslumbering vigilance and tactical sagacity; 
it would have argued, moreover, an unpardonable ignorance of 
the topography of the country, to suppose that he could as- 
cend the Chesapeake with a large fleet, land an army at Elk- 
ton, and march to Philadelphia, before intelligence of his 
movement could be conveyed to the latter city : in fact, no 
secret was made of the destination of the armament at the time 
of its embarkation, and it must have been well known to him 
that all Washington's movements, for a long time before, had 
been governed by the expectation of an attack on Philadelphia. 
What, then, could have been his motive for adopting such a 
plan of operations, against all military rules, in opposition to 
advice, and contrary to his own original purpose, as communi- 
cated by him to the British ministry ? We appeal in vain to 
history to solve the enigma, and cannot help repeating our be- 
lief, however unphilosophical it may be thought, that the whole 
affair was the especial work of a higher Power than human 
reason, for a purpose that might not otherwise be accomplished 
without a miracle. 

That Sir William Howe succeeded in his enterprise, we 
cannot regard as any proof of his generalship : he certainly 
did not deserve success ; but with such a force as he wielded, 
failure was impossible. Washington, small and incompetent as 
were his means of resistance, met him at Brandywine, and 
rendered for ever memorable the banks of that stream, by the 
vigorous check which he there gave to an army of more than 
double h'S numbers. It is asserted by some of Sir William's 
countrymen, that he here again neglected an opportunity of 
putting an end to the campaign, if not to the war, by thecapture 
of Washington and his whole force — which it is strongly in- 
sisted was entirely within his power, after he had crossed the 
Brandywine. If this be true — and from the position of the 
two armies, such seems to have been the fact — it is only an- 
other proof how peculiarly the destiny of our great Chief was in 
the keeping of an overruling Providence. 

It was not until some time after the enemy had been in pos- 
session oi Philadelphia, that the defences which had been pre- 



COMMODORE BARNEY. 61 

pared against the attack by water were called into operation. 
They consisted of the frigate Delaware, the Province ship, the 
brig Andrea Doria, two chebacks, several sloops, twelve 
galleys, and a number of smaller boats, or half galleys, all under 
the command of Commodore Hazlewood — tiie same officer 
who, a year before, under the orders of the Committee of 
Safety, led the galleys in the attack upon the British ships at 
the mouth of Wilmington Creek. These forces were stationed 
near Mud Island, at the Diouth of the Schuylkill, on which a 
strong fortification had been constructed, that commanded the 
navigation of both rivers, and which it was necessary to reduce 
before a communication could be established by the enemy be- 
tween their fleet and army. East of this island, on the Jersey 
shore, was a place called Red Bank, which was also fortified, 
and in possession of the Americans; a litde lower do\tn, in the 
Delaware, was Province Island, where the enemy had erected 
a strong battery under the protection of their fleet, which oc- 
cupied a position to the south, and partly between the two 
islands. The naval force of the enemy consisted of several 
ships of the line, a number of frigates and sloops of war, 
galleys, and floating batteries — a power which it would seem 
almost madness in our feeble defences to think of standing 
against for a moment; and yet it was not until after forty days 
of incessant skirmishing, cannonading, and bombarding, that 
the enemy succeeded in gaining command of the navigation. 
Every night through the whole continuance of this tremendous 
battering, our officers were compelled to be on duty in the 
small boats, for the purpose of intercepting the boats of the 
enemy, which were making constant efforts, under cover of the 
darkness, to pass up to the city with provisions for the army. 

Among the enemy's galleys there was one, armed with a brass 
18 pounder, which Lieutenant Barney particularizes as ' never 
having failed to tcU when fired.' In speaking of this gun, he 
adds: 'We soon became so well acquainted with the short, 
sharp sound of her explosion, that, whenever it was heard, 
some one would cry out " Galley-shot !" and this served as a 
kind of watch-word at which all hands would lie down.' 

In the coui'se of the cannonading, two of the enemy's ships 
ran aground in attempting to second the effort of Colonel Do- 
nop, to take possession of Red Bank — one of these, it is ac- 
knowledged by the enemy, was set on fire by the hotshot from 
our batteries, the Augusta, of 64 guns ; the other, the Merlin, 
sloop of war, was abandoned, and both of them soon after- 
wards blew up with a tremendous explosion, so that it is more 
6 



62 MEMOIR OP 

than probable our gunners deserved the credit of having de- 
stroyed them both. The destruction of these two ships, and 
the failure of Donop's attack upon the fortress of Red Bank 
which commanded the entrenchments on Mud Island, served 
for a time considerably to raise the hopes of the besieged. 
But Red Bank was unable to hold out against a second better 
devised attack, and the enemy succeeded in bringing their 
floating battery, of twentyfour 24 pounders, to act against the flank 
and rear of the fort on Mud Island. The bellowing of this 
many-mouthed monster, soon silenced the thunder of Mud Fort, 
which was bombarded at the same moment from three different 
position — our own guns, turned upon it from Red Bank, — the 
battery we have just mentioned — and the shipping of the 
enemy which had hauled up under the western shore. One 
gun after another was dismounted in the fort, until but one solita- 
ry piece was left in a state to fire. The noble defence made at 
this fortification, had been commenced under the command of 
Lieutenant-colonel Samuel Smith, of Maryland, the gallant 
son of the old merchant, whom we have heretofore introduced 
to our readers as the owner of the ship ' Sidney,' which Bar- 
ney had conducted safe home, through so many adventures — 
and at this moment a venerable Senator in Congress from his 
native State : this meritorious ofiicer received a contusion in 
the shoulder, early in the siege, when he retired from the 
command. 

The late Brigadier-general Moses Porter — well known 
throughout the army in the war of 1812 by the singular nick- 
name of ' Old Blow-hard' — was a sergeant in one of the Ar- 
tillery companies, stationed in Mud Island fort, during this 
memorable bombardment. After all the guns had been dis- 
mounted, or otherwise silenced, except one, (as just mention- 
ed). Sergeant Porter himself loaded and fired this solitary gun 
several times, and was the last man to leave the fort. There 
are so few instances in the world of soldiers rising by merit 
alone, without solicitation and without friends, through all the 
regular gsadations from the lowest to the highest, that we can- 
not think it will be out of place to record the fact of General 
Porter, as it has often been heard from his own lips — never as 
a matter of spontaneous vaunt ; for no man was less fond of 
talking of himself than General Porter ; but always in reply to 
urgent but respectful inquiry. He entered the revolutionary 
army in 1775, as a common soldier, was made a corporal in 
1776, a sergeant in 1777, and thence ascended, step by step, 
through the numerous intermediate ranks, to that of Brigadier- 



COMMODORE BARNEY. 



63 



general, which he did not attain until 1814, when he was sent 
to command a large division of the army at Norfolk, in Virginia, 
at that time in momentary expectation of invasion. Though 
he was then far advanced in years, the activity and energy with 
which he labored to prepare the place for defence, and the ra- 
pidity with which he completed the most extensive works, as re- 
markable for beauty and military skill in the design as for 
strength in the execution, excited the admiration of the citi- 
zens of Norfolk, and gained for this modest and unobtrusive 
old soldier the high approbation of the War Department. He 
died, in command, we believe, at Boston, not many years ago, 
after a constant service of more than fbrtyfive years. 

The only protection to our little fleet being lost by the des- 
truction and abandonment of Mud Island fort, it was thought 
advisable, rather than permit them to fall into the hands of the 
enemy, to set fire to them, and take the chance of escaping up 
the river, in the night, with the galleys and small boats : after 
taking out of the ships everything that could be conveniently 
carried away in the boats, their purpose was happily accomplish- 
ed on the night of the 1 6th of November ; the boats passed up 
the river without molestation, and arrived safely at Bordentown, 
on the Jersey shore — the Delaware frigate had unfortiinately 
been run aground some time previously, opposite to Philadel- 
phia, and in that defenceless situation had fallen an easy prey 
to the enemy : she was the only one of our ships that came 
into their possession by this hard won victory. 

In the beginning of December following. Lieutenant Barney 
was ordered to take command of a detachment of officers and 
seamen, and to march them to Baltimore, where their services 
were required for the frigate Virginia — of which he was at the 
same time appointed lieutenant. He crossed the Delaware 
directly fiom Bordentovi^n, and with a view to escape the pick- 
ets and outposts of the enemy, made for the Schuylkill at Val- 
ley Forge, where Washington had just established the (mcom- 
fortable winter quarters of his little army. He halted his 
party here just long enough to offer his respects to the Com- 
mander-in-chief — who, even at this early day, was beloved 
and revered as a father, alike by sailor and soldier — and then 
continued his march. The severities of winter had already 
commenced, and the roads were soon rendered so impassable 
by heavy falls of snow and sleet, that, for many days together, 
they were unable to advance more than a few lumdred paces al 
a time, without stopping to thaw the icicles that accumulated in 
glittering pendants from their eyes, noses, and mouths ; the toes 



64 



MEMOIR OF 



and fingers of many of the seamen were incurably frost-bitten, 
and the party did not reach Baltimore until the end of the 
month, exhausted and worn out from the combined effects of 
cold, wet, and fatig,ue. 

Soon after delivering his detachment on board the Virginia, 

he was himself selected to command a jDilol-boat-tender, 
1778 and ordered to cruise about the Bay, for the purpose of 

watching the motions of the enemy and reporting any 
opportunity that might occur for the frigate to get to sea. While 
in the performance of this duty, he was one day chased through 
Tangier Sound by one of the enemy's crusiers ; as he was mak- 
ing good his retreat up the Bay, he fell in with a large sloop 
from Baltimore, bound out, which he had spoken and passed 
on the previous evening : supposing her to be unconscious of the 
imminent danger and capture she was incurring, he approached 
with the purpose of hailing her, and was in the act of ordering 
her to put about and return up the Bay with him, when a vol- 
ley of small arms was fired into him, and he was at the same 
time ordered to ' strike,' upon the penalty of receiving ' no 
quarter' if he refused. Astonished at such a reception, -from a 
vessel, in the character of which he supposed it impossible he 
could be mis aken — liaving been for several hours in her com- 
pany only the day before — he immediately tacked about and 
stood for her, with a view to return tlie fire, let it come from 
what source it mi?;ht. This movement brought him upon the 
lee of the sloop, and there the mystery was explained — an 
enemy's barge lay hauled in close along side. He opened a 
fire of muskets and swivels, and a smart action ensued, which 
was warmly maintained on both sides for several minutes, until 
the commanding officer of the adverse party received a wound, 
when the sloop immediately struck her colors. — It appeared 
that this vessel had been boarded in the night, while she lay at 
anchor ; and the boarding party, being informed of Lieuten- 
ant Barney's passage down the Bay, formed a resolution to en- 
trap him. The better to carry on their scheme of deception, 
the officers of the barge dressed themselves in the blanket 
coats of the captain and mate of the sloop, concealed their 
men, and hauled the barge close up under the lee of the sloop. 
Had the party been less eager in their attack, perhaps, their 
plan might have succeeded ; but it was Barney's good fortune 
to give it a different issue. His little vessel suffered a good 
deal in her rigging, everything being cut away three feet above 
their heads, which showed with what unskilful precipitation the 
enemy attempted to carry their point. — The contest decided, 



COMMOUORK EARNEST. v* 

he gave the command of the sloop to her former captain, 
brought the officers and crew of the barge on board iiis own 
vessel, and took the barge in tow. The whole affair did not 
take up nuich more time than its description has occupied the 
reader : the enemy's cruiser was still in full chase, and in this 
manner he continued his retreat before her, until he arrived 
safely with his prizes and prisoners in Bcdtimose. His first 
care, on arriving, was to [)lace the wounded officer in comfort- 
able quarters, and to see that every attention was paid to hitn 
which his situation required — to all his prisoners he exercised 
that urbanity aud kindness which a truly br.ive man never fails 
to show towards a fallen enemy ; and upon some of them ex- 
pressing a desire to obtain a supply of clothes and other little 
personal comforts — none of whi(;li, of course, they had taken 
with them in the barge — he procured a flag of truce to be 
sent down to t!ie enemy for that purpose. That his kindness 
was not lavished upon men insensible to obligation, or ungrate- 
ful, the following note, which he received by the'return of the 
flag of truce, affords honorable testimony : — 

'Otter, March 9, 1778. 

* Capt. Squire begs ta return Lieut. Barney many thanks 
for his kind treatment to Mr Gray, and the people of the Otter, 
that fell into his hands, and assures Mr Barney he shall be hap- 
py on all occasions to render him any service. 
' Lieut. Barney, of the Frigate Virginia, Baltimore.' 

A small present of English cheese and porter — rare articles 
at the time on the table of a revolutionary officer — accompa- 
nied this polite note. Such examples of reciprocal good feel- 
ing in the midst of a sanguinary war, do more honor to the in- 
dividuals respect'vely concerned than a thousand acts of mere 
heroism in the military sense of the term — they are like foun- 
tains of pure water gushing forth upon the thirsty traveller over 
a parched desert ; spots of verdure, blooming and smiling, while 
all around is arid, dreary, and barren. Courage in fight is but 
an attribute which man possesses in cosnmon with the brute ; 
charity, on the contrary, or that feeling of benevolence which 
leads him to pity and relieve the sufferings of his subdued foe, is 
exclusively human — it exalts him above mere animal nature, 
and proves ' the divinity that stirs within' him. 

On the 3 1st of March, the Virginia made an attempt to get 
to sea in the night, in which she would certainly have succeed- 
ed, in spite of the vigilance of the enemy's squadron, but that 
6* 



66 



MEMOIR OP 



the pilot ran her on the Middle ground, between the Capes — 
where she knocked off her rudder and was compelled to lie all 
night, completely unmanageable. At daylight the next morn- 
ing, three of the hostile frigates, which they had passed in the 
obscurity of the previous night, neither seeing nor being seen by 
them, were discovered ai anchor but a short distance from them. 
The moment this was reported to the captain, he ran upon 
deck, ordered the barge to be hoisted out, and without taking 
lime even to secure his papers or private signals, left the frigate, 
and made good his escape to the shore. This conduct of their 
commanding officer was perfectly incomprehensible to all on 
board ; nor was it surmised by anybody that it could be his inten- 
tion to commit so extraordinary an act of dereliction, until the 
barge had actually pushed off: remonstrance then, if allowable 
at any time in subordinate officers, would have been too late. 
By this inexplicable abandonment of the Virginia, on the part 
of her captain. Lieutenant Barney became the commanding 
officer; and, believing that it would beat least practicable to pre- 
vent her falling into the hands of the enemy, by running her on 
shore at Cape Henry, as the wind was fair and blowing some- 
what fresh, he immediately ordered the cable to be cut, with that 
view ; but he was overruled by the counsel of the other lieuten- 
ants and the pilot, wIjo all declared it to be impossible to ap- 
proach the land, and so steadily maintained the right of the 
majority to control, under the circumstances of the case, that 
all Barney's arguments were of no avail — he was compelled to 
submit. The crew, finding their senior officer thus counteract- 
ed in his first order by those who ought to have set the example 
of obedience, soon became unruly — they broke open the pur- 
ser's stores, distributed his liquors, and in a little time a perfect 
saturnalia prevailed on board. There was not much of Job's 
virtue in the composition of Barney's character : what there 
was of it, however, was called into full exercise on this occasion 
— if he waited quietly for a change of the scene, it was because 
he could do nothing else. 

The enemy, in the meantime, seemed to be in no hurry to 
secure a prize, which they were probably well satisfied could 
not escape them — for it was not until ten o'clock, that a boat 
from one of His Majesty's frigates, the Emerald, Captain Cald- 
well, was sent on board to take possession. It happened to be 
' All Fools day,' — (1st April,) a circumstance of which Lieu- 
tenant Barney afterwards humorously availed himself, to account 
for the extraordinary scenes to which his captors were intro- 
duced. — The crew of the Virginia were distributed among the 



COMMODORE BARNEY. 



67 



several ships of the enemy's squadron ; and Lieutenant Barney 
himself was taken orf board the Emerald, where he was treated 
with every mark of attention and kindness by Captain Caldwell, 
who gave him accommodatic^ns in his own cabin, and sought by 
various acts of civiliiy to show to his youthful prisoner, the iiigh 
sense which ail His Majesty's officers in the Chesapeake enter- 
tained of his gentlemanly and generous deportment towards the 
crew of the Otter's barge. An exchange was immediately pro- 
posed : and William Barney, a brother of our lieutenant, who 
was the marine officer of the Virginia, was sent to Baltimore 
with a number of Americans equal to the crew of the barge. 

The day after this affair, the ci-devant commander of the 
Virginia, made his appearance in a flag of truce, to inquire after 
his clothes. Barney could not resist the temptation which this 
occasion offered, to upbraid his former captain for being the first 
man to abandon his ship, when, as he firmly believed, if he had 
remained on board, he might not only have avoided the disiirace 
of capture and deprived the enemy of a valuable prize, but have 
saved three hundred men from the sufferings and privations of 
imprisonment for an indefinite space of time. The ca[)iain did 
not condescend to offer the slightest explanation, or to make a 
reply of any sort to this rebuke of his quondam lieutenant ; but, 
having been permitted to take possession of his personal effects, 
he proceeded to gather these together, and then returned to the 
shore in his flag of truce. 

While Lieutenant Barney remained on board the Emerald, he 
was permitted to go on shore, at Hampton, whenever he desir- 
ed it, and occasionally to stay for several days at a time. He 
found the people of this place and neighborhood well acquaint- 
ed with the character of Captain Caldwell, for whom they pro- 
fessed to entertain a high respect. His uniform kindness and 
humanity to all the Americans who fell into his hands, had pro- 
cured for him, among his English compeers, the sobriquet of 
the ' Rebel Captain,' while, with the foi-mer, it rendered him 
so popular, that he was hardly regarded as an enemy. In 
conversation with Lieutenant Barney one. day, he expressed a 
wish that he could go on shore and visit some of the kind citi- 
zens, who had honored him with so many civil messages and 
presents : Barney, who mistook the meaning of this wish, and 
supposed that Captain Caldwell wanted only a formal invita- 
tion from the proper authorities, mentioned the subject to the 
American officers on his next visit to Hampton, and had the satis- 
faction of being made the bearer, on his return to the Emerald, 
of an especial message from Patrick Henry, esquire, the Gover- 



68 MEMOIR OF COMMODORE BARNEY. 

nor of Virginia, inviting Captain Caldwell to a ' hunting match' 
to be held in a few days. The captain ev'rticed much sensibility 
at this unlocked for mark of respect fi-om Governor Henry, and 
expressed great regret that he could not accept the invitation — 
' But,' said he, ' it is more than I dare do, Barney.' Upon re- 
ceiving his excuses, the governor sent him a present of a fine 
milch cow, with a supply of provender for her, and accompani- 
ed it with a polite message, that the supply should be renewed 
whenever necessary upon application at Hampton in his name. 
— If all the officers, whom Great Britain sent to chastise 
her rebellious children in America, had resembled Captain Cald- 
well, and a few others whose names are still gratefully remem- 
bered in many parts of our country, there can be little doubt 
that the rebellion might have been crushed long before it assumed 
the name of revolution : — our fathers might at any time have 
been conciliated by kindness ; but the rancorous and savage 
cruelty with which the war was for the most part carried on, par- 
ticularly in its inceptive stages, with the avowed object of ' coer- 
cing' them into obedience, instead of intimidating or subduing 
them, served only to excite a fierce spirit of revenge, which long 
outlived the acknowledgment of their independence, and^ laid 
the foundation of a second war, before that generation had en- 
tirely passed away. 



CHAPTER VII 



Lieutenant Barney, with other Prisoners, is sent to New York. — He forms a 
plan to seize the St Albans, and capture the enemy's whole fleet — the se- 
cret is betrayed by a Frenchman : — jjood humor of Cuptain Onslow on the 
oecasion — Rarney avows his while design. — Anivhl at New York. — He 
is sent on board a crowded Prison-sliip — sufferings ol the prisoners: — 
his reflections up"n his treatment — Hopes inspired by the appearance of 
Count D'Estaign's Fleet — disappointed. — Adniiial Hyron airiv.s. — The 
condition of the prisoners greatly meliorated. — Lieutenant Baincy is re- 
moved to the Flag-ship — Hcquires tlie esteem and confidence of the Ad- 
miral : — he is seized in New York as an Incendi.Try — his narrow escape 
from his savagf accusers. — He is exchanged for the first Lieutenant of the 
Mermaid — visits Baltimore — consents to lake commnnd of a small aimed 
Mt-rchantman — is capturi'd in the ("hesnp'ake Bay .md put ;ish ire. — Cap- 
tain Robinson arrives in Baltimore — his fl ittering offer to Barney : — 
the latter accepts it. — Voyage to Bord' aux in an armed Merchamman. — 
They engage and beat off an English Privateer of superior liirce — an ive at 
Boidi-au.'i — Armament of the Ship increased, — They s.iil for Fhiladephia. 
— Action with, and Ciipture of. a Britisli Letter of Marque Ship of equal 
force. — Sale Arrival of both Ships at PhiLidelphia. 

During the spring and early part of the summer of 1778, 
the British Squadron in the Chesapeake became so crowded 
with American prisoners, that it was deemed advisable by the 
commanding officer to send them, or the greater part of them, 
to New York, which, upon the resignation of Sir William Howe, 
and evacuation of Philadelpliia, had again become the head 
quarters of the enemy. For this purpose, the prisoners, to 
the number of nearly five hundred, who had been previously 
distributed among the several ships of the squadron, were 
collected on board the St Albans, a ship of 64 guns, com- 
manded by Captain Onslow, and a few days afterwards she left 
the Chesapeake, having under convoy the Virginia and several 
other prizes of value. Lieutenant Barney was among the 
number of those thus despatched for New York, and was al- 
most tlie only officer of any distinction in that predicament. 
It was not without some regret, that he found himself cf)m|)elled 
to exchange the comfortable quarters which Captain Caldwell 
had assigned him in his cabin, for a small space in the crowded 



70 



MEMOIR OP 



gun-room of the St AHDiins ; but the hope of a more speedy 
chance of exchange at New York than he would have had in 
the Chesapeake, soon reconciled him to the difference of ac- 
commodation ; and in all other respects he was treated by 
Captain Onslow with the same politeness and respect that he 
had experienced on board the Emerald. 

After the St Albans had got fairly to sea, and Barney had 
had time to look at the state of things around him, he was sur- 
prised to discover, that the number of men composing the crew 
of the ship, did not exceed two hundred and fifty, or three 
hundred at the utmost — being but little more than half the 
number of prisoners on board. An idea instantly occurred to 
him, that a schenie might be formed, which, if well managed, 
would inevitably lead to one of the grandest results that ever 
sprung from the conception of a prisoner. When he had per- 
fectly digested every part of his project in his own mind, and 
satisfied himself of its practicability, he sounded some of his 
companions ; and finding them ready and willing to unite with 
him, he unfolded the whole plan — it was bold and daring, but 
at the same time so little complicated, that every man compre- 
hended it, and nobody entertained a doubt of complete success: 
the particular station, and part to be acted, were assigned to 
each individual ; and the day and hour of execution were 
fixed. It has already been mentioned that a number of the 
prisoners slept in the gun room, where nearly all the small arms 
of the ship were deposited : it was their purpose to possess 
themselves of these, which they could have done without diffi- 
cuhy ; they had found means to communicate their intention to 
the men confined in the hold ; and they had even gone so far 
as to gain over many of the crew. — Lieutenant Barney, with 
two assistants, was to seize Captain Onslow in the cabin, and 
secure possession of the signals. Everything went on with a 
facility beyond their hopes : the day arrived. — Eleven at night, 
during the stillness ol the first watch, was the hour agreed upon 
All was still as the grave — every man in breathless expecta- 
tion waited the concerted signal — five bells sounded; another 
half hour, and then! — But the last stroke of the bell had 
scarcely ceased to vibrate, when an unusual noise occurred at 
the door of the gun-room — a guard entered and took away 
the arms ; double sentries were placed there and at all the 
other stations ; but not a word was uttered to any of the pris- 
oners ! — Night wore heavily away to the astonished and baffled 
conspirators ; and the morning light, which they had expected 
to greet with lo Pecans to liberty and triumph, shone upon 



COMMODORE BARNEV. 71 

lengthened visages and down-cast eyes. That day, Lieuten- 
ant Barney dined with Captain Onslow ; the dinner passed off 
with the usual etiquette and ceremonious politeness, and not a 
word was said in allusion to the occurrences of the night ; but 
Barney thought he could discover a lurking smile in the corner 
of the captain's eye, whenever he addressed his discourse to 
him, which seemed to say — ' lama little too cunning for you, 
my Yankee youngster.' During the remainder of the passage 
the guards were doubled, and no opportunity was given of re- 
newing the project ; nor could the utmost ingenuity of the dis- 
appointed schemers discover, by what means their secret had 
been so inopportunely detected — not a man of them dreamed 
of treachery in one of their own party ! — At length, after ar- 
riving within Sandy Hook, Barney was again invited to dine 
with Captain Onslow ; the dinner over, and a few glasses of 
wine circulated, the captain turned to his prisoner-guest and 
with a good humored laugh, said to him : 

'Well, Barney! you, it seems, were to have seized on me — 
what were your intentions? 1 hope you did not mean me any 
personal harm ? ' 

'Only a little restraint,^ Barney replied — ''in all else, I 
should have treated you — as you have treated me — very much 
like a gentleman. — But, as 1 perceive you know all about it, 
Captain Onslow, and the thing is all over, do tell me how you 
found out our secret? ' 

Captain Onslow laughed heartily, as he answered — 'Why, 
it was one of your new friends that betrayed you — one of the 
frog-eating Mounseers that you Yankees have just taken into 
partners lip. He came to me at ten o'clock that night, and 
gave me the whole history. It was a bold scheme, Barney — 
a devilish good one ! but what could you have done, after all? ' 

' Done ? — I should have taken your whole fleet ! ' replied 
Barney. 

' The d — 1 you would ! ' said Ca|)tain Onslow, scanning the 
face and whoh? figure of his dialogist — 'Taken the whole 
fleet, ha? — 'Capital, by Jove! — Let us hear how you would 
have managed that, my sturdy Boanerges ! — You have nothing 
to lose now, so you might as well tell me — how would you 
have contrived it ? ' 

Barney, not at all disconcerted by the laugh of his entertain- 
er, proceeded without hesitation to justify, as he thought, his 
very bold assertion, by detailing his intended plan of opera- 
tions, as follows : — ' You will admit,' said he, ' that, but for the 
treachery of the scoundrel who betrayed our secret, we could 



72 



MEMOIR OP 



not have failed to make ourselves masters of the St Albans. — 
By gaining possession of her we should have had at our command 
at least seven himdred men — the Virginia would next have 
fallen easily into our hands, as well as the other prizes in com- 
pany. With these vessels pro|)erly manned, we should have 
returned to the Chesapeake — and there, by the help of your 
signals, what was to prevent us from bringing into our clutches 
your two frigates, the Emerald and the Solebay, and your Otter 
sloop of war — and all the rest of your squadron, one after the 
other — sir, the thing was feasi'^le, and we should have accom- 
plished it to a certainty, but for the cowardly traitor, who ' 

' Converted your " castle in the air" into si floating castle !' 
interrupted the captain, with another laugh. 

' Yes !' said Barney, ' Such a fellow deserves ' 

' To be set at liberty for his honesty — which I have prom- 
ised to do as soon as we come to anchor,' said Captain Onslow, 
again interrupting the sentence which B'lrney was about to pro- 
nounce on his renegade associate. The subject was now drop- 
ped, and the ship soon after reached her anchorage ground : the 
captain performed his promise to the Frenchman, who was set 
ashore in one of the first boats that left the ship, loaded with 
the execrations of every man whom he had left in bondage be- 
hind him. 

As soon after the arrival of the St Albans within the har- 
bor of New York as arrangements could be made for tlieir 
removal, the prisoners were all transferred to a prison-ship, 
where for the first time Barney experienced what it was to be 
really a prisoner : hitherto he could scarcely be said to have 
felt a privation or an inconvenience of any kind; he had been 
treated by his generous captors with marked courtesy and liber- 
ality — a prisoner only in name : — now he was confined in a 
crowded, uncomfortable, filthy prison-ship, and doomed to feel 
as well as to witness miseries and sufiJerings, of which he had 
never before even imagined the existence. What rendered 
his situation still more unpleasant and irksome was, that he was 
the only ' Continental' or United States officer on board ; 
the other prisoners being, for the most part, common seamen, 
and skippers of coasting vessels, with their mates and crews. 
From this circumstance he was inclined to believe, but 
probably without good reason, that, notwithstanding the show 
of frankness and good humor with which Captain Onslow had 
rallied him on his defeated project, his present treatment — so 
different from anything he had ever before experienced — was 
the result of that officer's resentment, and designed as a punish- 



COMMODORE feARNEV, 



73 



ment for his unreserved avowals on that occasion. But, could 
it be possible, (he asked himsell) that Caj)tain Onslow would 
so dishonor the hospiiahty of his own table as to encourage a 
freedom of conversation for the purpose of taking mean advan- 
tage of it afterwards? add if not, why was he alone subjected to 
this indignity ? — or why was he not punished aflhe moment of 
the discovery of his plot ? — he had expected it then, and would 
have been ready to suffer any harsliness or severity of retalia- 
tion that might have been imposed upon him, without complaint; 
nolo he looked upon it as malice — a cowardly vindictiveness 
of spirit — which no honorable man would cherish towards an 
enemy in his power 1 These reflections, however, instead of 
lessening the unpleasantness of his situation, served only to ren- 
der it the more galling; and he endeavored to shake them off 
by making himself as useful as he could to his fellow prisoners, 
many of whom were so sick and feeble, from the effects of long 
confinement, that they were unable to help themselves even to 
a drink of water. By this active exercise of the Samaritan 
virtue, he soon forgot his own privations and imaginary causes of 
discontent, and even began to regard the fact of his being the 
only commissioned officer so situated, as a compliment paid by 
the enemy to the zeal and activity of his services against them. 
It was not long after he had brought himself to this happy- 
state of self complacency, that the news, somehow or other, 
reached the prisoners, that the Count D'Estaing had made his 
appearance off Sandy Hook with a formidable French fleet, 
consisting of twelve ships of the line and several frigates. 
This information was well calculated to inspire hopes of im- 
mediate release in all the prisoners : they knew that the British 
ships in the harbor would be totally incompetent to resist such 
a force, and they did not doubt thatthe moment of their delivery- 
was at hand. Day after day, however, passed away until they 
began to regard the intelligence as a cruel jest practised upon 
their feelings — at length it was said, that the whole French 
fleet were in motion ; and the evident alarm of their keepers, 
added to the visible commotion and consternation around them, 
left tliem no room to doubt the report, and their hopes were 
again raised to the highest pitch. But alas ! they were doomed 
to slill severer disajipointment and mortification than before — 
the huzzas which reached their ears from all sides, told them but 
too plainly the fact, that the Count D'Estaing — in imitation of 
that celebrated ' King of France,' who 

-' with thirty thousand men. 



Marched up the hill, and then — raarch'd down again' — 

7 



74 MEMOIR OP 

had disappeared from the Hook with all his ships ! Such an 
unexpected movement was of course incomprehensible to the 
prisoners, — as it was indeed to many who had belter opportuni- 
ties of forming a correct judgment — but they could only won- 
der in silence, and prepare themselves as they might for the 
horrors of a lengtliened imprisonment. 

Lieutenant Barney was kept on board his floating prison only 
ten or twelve days after the departure of the French fleet. 
The arrival of Admiral Byron who had been sent to relieve 
Lord Howe, was a circumstance at which all the prisoners had 
reason to rejoice. On the first visit of this officer to the prison- 
ship, which was made in due state a few days after his taking 
command, a most favorable change was made in the treatment 
of the Americans — he ordered several large and airy ships to 
be converted into prisons for their better accommodation ; at- 
tended particularly to the comfort of the sick, appointing nurses, 
and directing such supplies of nourishment and medicines 
to be furnished as their several cases required — and learning 
the peculiar situation of Lieutenant Barney, as we have already 
explained it, he gave orders for him to be removed on board 
his own flag-ship, the Ardent, ol 64 guns. From this time 
forth, the admiral, accompanied by his captain and secretary, 
visited the prison-ships regularly every week ; inspected the ac- 
commodations ; inquired minutely into the conduct of the keep- 
ers ; listened to the complaints of the prisoners, and evinced 
towards them, in all respects, a spirit of humanity and benev- 
olence that did great honor to his principles, and entitled him to 
the gratitude of hundreds who were ' ready to perish.' 

It was the good fortune of Lieutenant Barney, af;er his re- 
moval to the flag-ship, to attract the favorable notice of Admiral 
Byron, and gradually to win so much upon his regard and 
confidence, that he was frequently invited to accompany him 
in his charitable visits to the prison-ships ; and on such occasions 
was made the medium of counnunication with his countrymen 
on the subject of their complaints and grievances, which the 
admiral was well aware might sometimes be withheld from 
himself from awe or deference for his high rank. After a little 
lime, this high-minded and benevolent officer acted altogether 
upon the reports which Lieutenant Barney was required regularly 
to submit to him, of the condition and wants of the prisoners; 
and whenever a flag of truce arrived with English prisoners 
for exchange, the whole matter of arrangement and selection 
of Americans to be returned, was confided entirely to him. 
He had a boat placed at his command, and was permitted to 



COMMODORE BARNEY. 



75 



go ashore whenever he pleased, with no other restriction than 
his promise to return on board to sleep. 

On one of his occasional visits to the city, he met with a re- 
ception rather more warm than welcome. He had been invit- 
ed to breakfast, in New York, with Sir William Twisden, one 
of the admiral's aids : during the previous night a fire had 
broken oat in the city, which had spread to an alarming extent, 
and was still burning when he landed in the morning in pursu- 
ance of his invitation. To do honor to the occasion, he had 
dressed himself in his full American uniform, which was some- 
what of an eye-sore to the loyal subjects of New York — as he 
passed near the fire, which lay directly in his road to Sir Wil- 
liam's quarters, he was suddenly and rudely seized, on pretence 
of being suspected as one of the incendiaries to whose diabol- 
ical agency the fire was attributed, and threatened with being 
instantly thrown into the flames ; a threat, which he had every 
reason to believe, from the savage and ferocious bearing of his 
accusers, they would have put into immediate execution, but 
for the timely interference of a British officer, to whom he made 
himself known as the prisoner and guest of the admiral. The 
men who held him in their gi'ipe, however, were not at all will- 
ing to believe this story, which they pronounced to be an aggra- 
vation of the offence ; and as the British officer was unable on 
his personal knowledge to vouch for its truth, he proposed that 
they should all accompany the accused to the residence of the 
admiral and there have it verified or contradicted : after some 
hesitation this was agreed to, and Barney was at last released. 
By this time the breakfast hour had passed over, and not choos- 
ing to put his kind host to the trouble of ordering the table to be 
set a Feccond time, he thought it advisable to lose no time in 
returning on board the Ardent — a resolution which his friend 
Sir William approved, and that he might incur no fresh haz- 
ard on the road, he was accompanied by that gentleman to his 
boat. 

In a short time after this narrow escape, from a much worse 
fate than a prison-ship, Lieutenant Barney had the good fortune 
to be released from imprisonment. Among the many happy 
results that followed the appearance of a French fleet on our 
coast, was the captureofthe Brldsh frigate Mermaid — or rather 
the stranding her on the Jersey shore of the Delaware — by which 
event an officer of equal rank with that of Lieutenant Barney 
fell into the hands of the Americans. As soon as the disaster 
came to the knowledge of the British Admiral, he sent Barney 
off to Philadelphia, with an offer to exchange him for the first 



76 



MEMOIR OP 



lieutenant of the Mermaid, vvbicli was at once accepted ; and 
he thus, after having been a prisoner for nearly five months, be- 
came once more a free man. This exchange was effected 
about the latter end of August, and there being no immediate 
duty for him to perform, he seized the opportunity of visiting 
his relatives and I'riends at Baltimore. In truth, at this period 
and for a long time afterwards, the number of our naval officers, 
so far exceeded the demand for them in our little navy, that 
many of tiiem, rather than remain idle and inactive, embarked 
in the privateer service, or on board armed merchantmen, where 
they perhaps rendered as important and efficient aid to their 
country, as they could have clone in the public ships of war. 
It will not be supposed that one of Barney's enterprising and 
restless spirit, could long content himself at home, when he 
could be usfifully employed whether in private or public service ; 
and he was not long in Baltimore before an opportunity occurred 
in the former service, which he readily embraced. At the solici- 
tation of one of the Baltimore merchants, betook command of 
* a fine little schooner, armed with two guns and eight me/?,' 
and having on board a cargo of tobacco for St Eustatia. — We 
confess we are disposed to look upon the consent of Lieutenant 
Barney to take command of this humble force, as an act that 
entitles him to great praise, not only as it shows him to have 
been free from any inordinate elation at the distinction which 
his services had already gained him, but as it is an evidence of 
his unselfish, generous zeal and intrepidity in the service of 
others. It was inipossible he could hope to gain honor by such 
a command, and the idea of emolument must have been still 
further from his expectations ; but he believed he might be use- 
ful, and that was motive enough for him. We wish it had been 
in our power to record that he made a successful voyage, with 
his ' fine little schooner' and ' cargo of tobacco ;' but the truth 
compels us to state, that he was not even so fortunate as to reach 
the Capes — in going down the Bay, he was met by an Eng- 
lish privateer, w'lih four large guns and sixty men ; he made a 
running fight of a (ew minutes, bad, one of his eight men killed 
and two wounded, but being overtaken and boarded, nothing 
remained but submission. The privateer, who had no desire to 
be encumbered with prisoners, landed him and the remnant of 
his little party at Cinapuxent on the eastern shore of the Ches- 
apeake, and carried off the schooner and tobacco. From this 
place, lie found his way in a little time again to Baltimore, 
where he was compelled, in the nautical phrase, to ' lie on his 
oars' for many successive weeks. 



COMMODORE BARNEY. 



77 



His old friend and former commander, Captain Isaiah Rob- 
inson, came to Baltimore some time in November of this year, 
(1778.) Barney was of course delia;hted to meet with him after 
so long a separation, and Captain Robinson was not less grati- 
fied to see him, and to see him, too, without employment — for 
the principal object of his visit to Baltimore at this moment, 
was to make an offer of service to him. He had the command 
of a fine private ship then lying at Alexandria, undergoing com- 
plete equipment as a cruiser, with a letter of marque com- 
mission — he had selecte I Barney as his first oflicer ; and as 
an inducement for the latter to accept the station, he offered 
him an equal division of his privileges. Barney at once, and 
cheerfully, consented to go with his old commander, but posi- 
tively refused to accept any other privilege than he would be 
entitled to as first lieutenant. A bargain is soon struck between 
two parties, where one is ready to take less than the other is 
willing to give — the captain would have made almost any sac- 
rifice to secure the services of his former lieutenant, and" Bar- 
ney never had a mercenary feeling in his life. Having made 
his arrangements, he proceeded immediately to Alexandria to 
superintend and expedite the fitting out of the ship. On his 
arrival there, however, he did not find things in so prosperous a 
state as he had been led to imagine; there was, as he said, a 
'scarcity of means' — and where that is the case, there must 
always be delays and obstacles. It was difficult to procure 
guns, small arms, and ammunition, and still more difficult to get 

together the requisite number of men ; and it was not 
1779 until the month of February, 1779, that they were 

able to get to sea, with 12 guns of different sizes and 
thirtyfive men, a much smaller armament than had been at first 
contemplated, and little more than half the crew. They had 
on board a cargo of tobacco, and were bound to Bordeaux. 

On the third day after they left the Capes, they discovered a 
vessel in chase. As they were weakly manned, and under ex- 
press orders not to seek an engagement with the enemy when it 
could be avoided, they kept on their course with as much sail as 
they could advantageously carry. At eight o'clock in the evening 
the full moon shining with unclouded lustre — the vessel in chase 
came up with them, and running up English colors, made the 
hail usual to superiors; the only reply the ship vouchsafed to 
this demand, was to hoist her American flag, and as this was 
distinctly visible by the bright light of the moon, the enemy 
ordered it to be instantly hauled down again — a broadside 
from the ship was the prompt and loud-spoken answer to the 



78 MEMOIR OF 

imperious order ; it bad the effect of bringing down tbe ene- 
my's fore-topsail, cutling away a good deal of tbeir rigging, and 
producing considerable confusion on board. They had per- 
haps not expected to meet with such resistance, but they were 
soon prepared to return the fire, and an action was kept up at 
intervals until midnight. Finding that they were unable to get 
rid of the enemy, who hung about the ship's quarters and stern, 
eiving her a shot or two every twenty or thirty minutes, Barney 
proposed to cut out a stern-post — a matter which had been 
wholly overlooked in building the ship — and to bring up from 
the gun-deck one of their long three pounders, with which 
they might at least be enabled to give the enemy an occasion- 
al return for his many compliments. This arrangement was ac- 
ceded to at once by the captain, and in a litile time the gun 
was ready for a siern-fire. About midnight the enemy made 
one of his accustomed approaches close under the stern of the 
ship, and meeting with a reception which he had not calculated 
upon from this newly placed gun, he hauled oft', and made no 
further attack during the remainder of the night. — At day- 
break the next morning, they discovered that their antagonist 
was a brig of 16 guns, that she was numerously manned, and 
had several persons on board in full uniform, from which they 
concluded that she was one of His JVlajesty's cruisers, and felt 
somewhat proud at having succeeded in baffling her designs. 
The brig, however, as ii seemed, had not yet given up the en- 
terprise — about sunrise, she attempted once more to run up 
under the ship's stern, for the purpose, as was believed, of 
boarding her; in which, if she had succeeded, the ship must 
have been compelled to surrender. At tliis time, Barney, who 
had taken command of the stern-chaser, the quarter-masler 
who assisted him with the gmi, and the helms-man, were the 
only persons on the quarter-deck — Captain Robinson, with the 
rest of the crew, being on the gun deck, ready, if an opportu- 
nity should offer, to pour a lull broadside into his pursuer. The 
' long three' was well served on this critical occasion — a con- 
stant fire of grape-shot was kept up (rom it; and to one load, 
Barney added a crowbar, the efficacy of which was instantly 
perceptible on the enemy ; it cut away his fore-tack, all his 
weather fore-shrouds,. and compelled him suddenly to wear ship, 
in order to save his foremasi, which must otberwise have gone 
by the board. Wbile he was wearing, the captain had an op- 
portunity of seconding this well aimed blow of his lieutenant, 
by playing away his whole broadside, which put an end to the 
contest, for the brig made no mrther attack, and the ship was 



COMMODORE BARNEY. 



79 



well content 'to pursue her voyage. — An account of this en- 
gagement afterwards appeared in a New York paper, from which 
the officers of the ship learned, that the brig was the privateer 
' Rosebud,' Captain Duncan, carrying sixteen guns, and a 
hundred and twenty men, of whom fortyseven were killed and 
v^ounded — the American ship was charged in the account with 
wn/aiV fighting, in imn^ langrnge ! — Barney's crowbar was 
the only article of loading used, that could be brought under 
that denomination ; but if he had fired all the crowbars in the 
ship, and marlinespikes to boot, we are at loss to conceive why- 
it deserved to be called ' unfair,' — a charge which always 
comes with an ill grace from the superior force — particularly 
as the battle was entirely unsought on the part of the American, 
and waged strictly in sell-defence. 

On their arrival at Bordeaux, which they gained without fur- 
ther interruption, the armament of the ship was entirely renew- 
ed : they mounted her with eighteen six pounders, and increas- 
ed her crew to seventy men. Having disposed of their to- 
bacco and taken in a cargo of brandy, they sailed from Bor- 
deaux in the early part of August lor Philadelphia. About 
mid-passage, they discovered a ship, one morning at daylight, 
manoeuvring as if she desired to inquire into their character : 
being now better prepared than they had been, for offensive, or 
defensive operations, as the occasion for either might occur, 
and finding the stranger to be an enemy, they soon had the ship 
clear for action ; at sunrise the combatants met, both apparent- 
ly equally ready for atrial of prowess — several broadsides 
were gallantly exchanged, and the action promised to be warm- 
ly sustained on both sides ; but, at the end of the first half hour, 
the enemy seemed disposed to regard further contest as unpro- 
fitable, and passed by before the wind, crowding the canvas upon 
her with a rapidity that showed her to be anything but pleased, 
with the tcte-a-tete she had just held with the American. The 
wind was light, our ship was heavily laden, and the flying ene- 
my outsailed her so much, that she was several times in the 
course of the day beyond sight from the deck : towards even- 
ing, however, a rain came on, the wind freshened, and the 
American was enabled once more to come up — another broad- 
side or two were exchanged, but the enemy showed no inclination 
to renew the fight, and again made her escape. The next 
morning she was discovered to be four or five miles ahead ; but 
a dead calm had succeeded the rain of the night before, and 
our friends, determined to pursue the adventure to a close, rig- 
ged out the ship's long oars, and by dint of hard rowing for 



80 



MEMOIR OF COMMODORE BARiNEY. 



two or three hours, came up a third time with the foe — she no 
longer even attempted resistance, but surrendered upon the 
first summons. — The prize proved to be an English letter of 
marque ship, of sixteen guns — nines and sixes — and seventy 
men, a force as exactly equal to that of the American as it 
could well be, the two additional guns of the latter, being coun- 
terbalanced by the superior weight in a part of those of the for- 
mer : — she had twelve men killed, and several wounded ; but 
independently of the loss of men, she had otherwise suffered 
enough in the first onset to justify the reluctance her officers 
exhibited to renew the contest — she was terribly cut to peices 
in hull, spars, and rigging. Our ship had one man killed (a 
young gentleman from Bordeaux, a passen^jer on board,) and 
two men wounded. — ■ The calm fortunately continued for three 
days, which enabled them to repair the damages of the prize 
ship. Barney took command of her ; and the two ships, being 
luckily able to continue in company during the remainder of 
the passage, arrived safely at Philadelphia some time in Octo- 
ber, 1779. 



CHAPTER VIII 



Marriage oT Lieutenant I5arney. — Undertakes a commercial speculation — visits 
Haltimore : — meets with a iieavy loss; — his philosophy on the occasion: 
returns to Pnilaifelphia : — joins the Saiagota. and sails on a cruise : — Engage- 
ment with the I'.nemy ; — Ca^.tuie of four Vessels from the Enemy : — g dlant 
feat of Lieutenant Bamiy : — he takes (Command of one <if the cap uied ships 

— caprici lusness of lortune : — he is c iplured by an Hiiglish 74 ■. — infamous 
conduct of her comm inder . — he is taken to New York : — transferied. with 
other prisoners to the Yarmouth 1-i. 'ind oidered for Eaj;l.i id ; — sufTeriugg 
of the prisoners during h long voyage : — a pesti ence breaks out among ihcm 

— ciuel and inhuman treatment of them : — they arrive at Hhmouthina 
Btate of dreadful extremity ; — aie tiiedas ■ tr.iitorsand rebpls.' ^nd committed 
to Mill Fiison. — De'^cription of the Prison : — numeious atienii-ts nia e to 
escape : — Barney makes .1 fiend of one of the sentinels — eti'ectshis escape 
in open d ly in thv undress 01 a B itish offic t : — is kindly received and 
entertained at the house of a Clergyman : — meets with two Maryland friends 

— they purchase a small fishing boat, and ittempt to gain the coast of 
France : — pass the British fieet at the nmuth of the 1 iver : — the friend taken 
sick, and Barney left to manage the vessel a one : — boarded by a Guernsey 
Privateer : — his promptness .md firmne-s o: mind deceive the boarding offi- 
cer : — the captain oJ the privateer not satisfied, takes him back to Plymouth 
for examination; — he es^ripes in the stern boat ; — enters the viJ.ige of 
Causcn : — is mistaken for a British officer ; — meeting with the crew of the 
Privateer; — Lord Ldgecoiube's gardener; — Bainev meets with a Butcher 
who puts him across the river — regains the Clergyman s house in safety, 

A GREAT change was now about to take place in the present 
pursuits and future relations of Lieutenant Barney. His list 
voyage — the incidents of which, as we have seen, were highly 
honorable to all ronrerned — was in a pecuniary point of view, 
the most profitable ha h id ever made. The privilege of mer- 
cantile adventure, allowed him as first oflicer, had been JLidi- 
ciously exercised, both on the outward and return voyage ; and 
the profit realized upon his mercliandize, amounted to a consid- 
erable sum ; besides which, his siiare of the valuable ship they 
had captiu'ed was in itself a rich possession. In short, he found 
himself, upon the settlement of his accounts, master of a hand- 
some little fortune, acquired by his own honorable toils and |)erils. 
There was still the same difficulty of obtaining active employ- 
ment in the navy, which had induced him the year before to 
embark in the merchant service : indeed, there was scarcely a 



82 



MEMOIR OF 



United States vessel of any sort either in the Delaware or Chesa- 
peake, the few we had, being divided between our eastern and 
southern ports. He had enjoyed but little of the sociei)* of his 
friends for the last four years, and in truth iiad seen but little 
pleasure or relaxation of any kind. He determined, therefore, 
unless his country should in the meantime require his services, 
to pass the winter in those social enjoyments, which his 
age and natural disposition had hitherto vainly prompted him to 
seek, while he thought his time could be more honorably 
and usefully employed. His name was already sufiiciently 
distinguished to gain him admission and a welcome in the best 
fa^^i'ies, and fortune had given him the means of taking his 
full share in all the fashionable amusements of the day. 

During the early part of the winter, he divided his time very 
fairly between his numerous relatives in Baltimore and 
1780 the friends he had early made in Philadelphia ; but in 
a little while the attractions of the latter city proved 
irresistible — or rather, a single object there so entirely engross- 
ed all his facuhies, that he had neither eye nor heart lor others. 
In the coiH'se of the winter he became acquainted with the fami- 
ly of Gunning Bedford, Esquire, a respectable Alderman of 
Philadelpliia, and was introduced to his daughter,' a young lady 
of great beauty and personal acconiplishments, to whose fascin- 
ations he for the first time ' struck his colors,' and surrendered 
at discretion. — 'None but the brave deserve the fair!' and 
what fair ever resisted the wooing of the brave particularly when 
the possessor of that character presents himseli before her in all 
the freshness of youth and manly beauty ! and few men ever 
possessed greater personal advantages than the subject of our 
allusion; this we have no doubt will be readily admitted by 
those of our readers who have seen him only in ' the sear and 
yellow leaf — in the autumn of his life; while the fevv who 
can remember him at the period indicated, will acquit us of un- 
due partiality in the compliment. His suit to this celebrated 
beauty was successful ; and on the 16th of March, 1780, being 
not yet twentyone, he led Miss Bedford to the altar, with the 
full approbation of her flunily. He remained in Philadelphia 
about a month after his marriage, enjoying the ' honey-moon' 
in a constant round of those complimentary parties, which the 
hospitable citizens were in the habit of giving, in the ' good old 
times,' upon all such occasions ; and then retired with his bride 
to the state of Delaware, where she had a brother residing at 
the time, to whom they were both affectionately attached. 

Having thus early in life taken upon himself the cares of a 



COMMODORE BARiNCY. 83 

family, prudence dictated to him the necessity of settling im- 
mediately in some pursuit which might enable him to prepare 
for his new duties, and the calls thai must liereal'ter be made 
upon his resources. He was strenuously advised by many of 
his friends to embark in a commercial speculation of some mag- 
nitude, for which the times were just tlien propitious; and as he 
had ample means lor it, and was not averse to encounter either 
hazard or labor, in the prosecution of any object that'promised 
so fair a recompense, if was finally resolved that he should 
leave his young wife under the protection of her brother, and 
proceed alone to Baltimore for the purpose of making the pro- 
posed aj'rangements. His brother-in-law furnished him with ' a 
horse and chair' — he had his whole fortune with him, in the 
paper currency of the times, which he deposited carefidly in 
the 'chair box;' and full of ardo,- for his purposed speculation 
— as he was for every enterprise he undertook — he gave the 
first spparation-kiss to his blooming bride, and turned his back 
upon Dover. He drove, of course, 'like a sailor,' nor halted 
except to refresh his horse, until he reached Chestertown, in 
Maryland — here he jmnped out of his ' chair' at a tavern 
door, and leaving it, box and all, to be taken into the stable yard, 
hurried down to one of the packets to bespeak his passage to 
Baltimore : having accomplished this object just in the nick of 
time, he returned to the tavern to look after his horse and chair, 
which he had promised to send back to Dover. He met with 
no difficulty in getting somebody, ' for a proper consideration,' 
to undertake this job, and taking out the box — which he bad 
not promised to send back — he ' hod it carried on board the 
packet,' where he followed at his leisure. In due time he ar- 
rived safely at Bahimore, did not forget to have the box ' carried' 
ashore, and when he had at length got himself snugly fixed in 
his lodging, it was ' quite natural' he should begin to think of 
his paper fortune. As he took the key of the box from his 
pocket, and prepared to gaze upon the treasure which it was his 
purpose to send forth upon a ' recruiting expedition,' he sol-lo- 
quized somewhat after the following manner ! — ' Here lies all 
1 am worth in the world ! Six months ago, I thought it more 
than I should ever want— but then I was not a married man — • 
now I have a family to provide for — I know I shall have a great 
many children — that 's not to be doubted ! and it is my duty to 
try and do what I can to keep them from starving, alter they 
come into this breathing world — let me see ! shall I risk it all? 
or shall I keep something fov a rainy day'? No — d — nit, 
that 's a cowardly, beggarly thought ; there 's no danger, and so 



84 



MEMOIR OF 



here goes for the whole !' — As he concluded this brief com- 
muning with himself, he threw open the lid of the box — could 
it be his box ; ' Suiely tliis is a mistake, and 1 have opened 
what does not belong to me — no ! this is my cravat, and this 

is my shirt, and ' But why should we attempt to depict the 

consternation of poor Barney, when he discovered that ' not a 
rag of money' was to be found in the box ! All, all was gone : 
vanished into thin air ! Continental money, it is true, had not 
been, for some time, quite so good as its promise : but here was 
a ' depreciation,' more sudden and profound than any that the 
most timid broker or speculator would have taken into his cal- 
culations ! — We believe we have already said, that there was 
not a mercenary feeling in the whole character of Joshua J5ar- 
ney : if other proof of this were wanting, the carelessness with 
which he entrusted his whole wealth to the honesty of unknown 
stable boys and porters, would suffice to confirm our assertion; 
and the readiness with which he was enabled to reconcile him- 
seli to his loss on the present occasion would have been beyond 
the effort of any man who loved money. He must have been 
more or less than man, not to have shown some astonishment, 
chagrin, and disappointment, when he first discovered the loss 
which was certainly, in his peculiar circumstances, a severe one 
— it placed him in an infinitely worse situation than he had ever 
been in before, for he had another now to provide for as well 
as himself; but these feelings and reflections were of short con- 
tinuance, and ended in a hearty laugh at his own negligence — 
with a resolution to say nothing about it, that nobody else might 
laugh at him ! 

Thus philosophically determined, he returned immediately 
to his wife; and so heroically did he keep his own secret, that 
even she remained entirely ignorant of his loss, until long after 
he had made another and a more stable fortune. From Dela- 
ware, he and his wife made their way back to Philadelphia ; 
and, as it fortunately happened, in a few days afterwards he 
was called again into service, and ordered on board the United 
States ship Saratoga, of 16 nine pounders, under the command 
of Captain John Young. The Saratoga proceeded immediate- 
ly to sea, and had not been many days on her cruising ground, 
before she fell in with an enemy's ship of 12 guns, (showing 20) 
which made batde, but was captured in a few minutes.' On 
the following day, they encountered a ship and two brigs, all 
under enemy's colors, and appearing to be heavily armed. 
The captain of the Saratoga, on this occasion, resorted to the 
common and^ justifiable stratagem of hoisting English colors. 



COMMODORE BARNEY. 85 

under which he ran up along side of the ship, and gave her 
the customary hail — she was from Jamaica, bound to New 
York : while the interlocution was going on, tlie ' Stars and 
Stripes' suddenly mounted to the mast-head of the Saratoga, 
and her assumed badge at the same moment fell upon the deck 
— a broadside was fired, in the smoke of which her. grapnels 
were tlirown upon the enemy, and fifty men, headed by Lieu- 
tenant Barney, jumped on board : for a few minutes, the conflict 
that ensued was ter)ible ; but the boarders succeeded in driv- 
ing their antagonists from the deck, and hauling down their 
colors — they found themselves masters of a ship carrying 
thiriijtwo guns. And ninety men! The prisoners were quickly 
brought up from below, and transferred to the Saratoga — Bar- 
ney, with a part of his boarders, remaining on board the prize. 
Tlie two bi-igs had in the meantime attempted to escape; but 
the Saratoga soon came up with the largest, carrying 14 guns, 
and captured her after a short resistance — the other brig, of 
4 guns, struck to the prize ship without a fire. 

Thus, in the course of two days, did the gallant Saratoga — 
a name of inauspicious omen to England — make herself mis- 
tress of two fine ships and two brigs, carrying sixtyUvo guns 
and upwards of two hundred men ! The prizes were all val- 
'lable, being laden with rum and sugar — two articles which 
at that time commanded an enormous price in the United 
States; and it seemed to be the purpose of fortune to compen- 
sate our intrepid lieutenant, for the scurvy trick she had played 
him With the ' chair-box.' He already counted himself a 
richer man than he would have been, even had the fullest suc- 
cess attended his late bafifled commercial speculation. — But 
who shall say what a day may bring forth ! It had been de- 
termined by Captain Young, to return immediately to Phila- 
delphia with his four prizes ; and Barney received his orders to 
steer for the Delaware, with the most joyous anticipations at the 
prospect of so short an absence from his beloved one, and 
proud, hs we may well suppose, at the idea that he had so com- 
pletely made up his losses. In the course of the first night, he 
made the discovery that his ship had five feet water in the 
hold ! and that it was pouring into her faster than all his forces 
were able to discharge it at the pumps — it was evident that a 
shot from the Saratoga in their morning's work must have given 
her this unfortunate blow below the water. He made the 
signal of distress to his commander, and received such as- 
sistance 'as enabled him to free the ship by daylight the next 
mornins: — but that daylight discovered to him a more ruthless 
8 



86 



MEMOIR OP 



foe than the water ! A ship of the line and several frigates 
were in full chase, and before niany hours had elapsed, he was 
a prisoner on board the Intrepid, seventyfour, whose com- 
mander, Anthony James Pye ]\]al!oy, Esqniie, he has character- 
ized as ' the greatest tyrant in the British Navy !' 

The Saratoga was so fortunate as to make her escape from 
this overwhelming force, but all her prizes fell into the enemy's 
hands.* What a reverse vvas this to the buoyant hopes, and 
happy reveries, of yesterday ! But such is the fortune of war. 
— The treatment which Lieutenant Barney received on board 
the Intrepid, was barbarous and cruel in the extreme — during 
the whole passage to New York he was kept on the poop, with 
no shelter from the weather ; in this situation, he was exposed 
to the severities of a cold snow storm, of several days' continu- 
ance, without clothes or bedding ! Such was the treatment he re- 
ceived at the hands of Captain Anthony James Pye MaUoy; 
and we venture to say, the reader would scarcely have blamed 
him, if he had added to his character of him, the epithets of 
vindictive, cowardly, and mean. 

He was kept on board the Intrepid for some time after her 
arrival at New York ; but was at length, in December, 1780, 
by order of Admiral Rodney, put on board the Yarmouth, 74,- 
with seventy other American officers, to be transported to Eng- 
land — vi'here, as their magnanimous enemies whispered into 
their ears, they were ' to be hanged as rebels /' It is difficult to 
depict in adequate colors the distressed and suffering condition 
of these American officers, on board the Yarmouth. They 
were confined in the hold of the ship, under five decks — and 
consequently at least thirty feet under water — in a dungeon, 
the area of which was twelve feet by twenty, and its height three 
feet — without light, and almost without air — where they were 
necessarily compelled to remain always in a bent or recumbent 
posture. Their food was not only of the worst quality, but 
supplied in such insufficient quantity, diat whenever one of their 
comrades died — which unhappilj^ but too frequently occurred — 
in order that the survivors might enjoy the benefit of a surplus 
ration, they carefully concealed his death, until the body became 
too offensively putredinous to be longer supported! They were 
jiftythree days, in the depth of winter, on the passage from 
1781 New York to Plymouth, thus confined and treated — the 

*A revolutionary worthy, in a letter to Maj. Wm. B. Barney, speaking of 
the fact of Lieut. B.'s being put on board one of these prizes, says it was ' a 
circumstance that preserved him for future service, as the Saratoga and her 
crew perished at sea, unheard of.' 



COMMODORE BARNEY. 87 

water was measured out to them with even more parsimony 
than the food, and so thick with animalcules was it, that they 
could only drink it through their closed teeth ! In addition to 
their accumulated miseries, a pestilence broke out among them 

— but even this excited no sympathy or commiseration in the 
* noble hearted Britons,' their jiiilors : eleven of their number 
perished by the fever, generated by the confined air and gather- 
ed filth of their dungeon, every one of whom suffered incon- 
ceivable agonies in the progress of the disease, and died in a 
state of rabid delirium — not only without an effort on the part 
of their jailors to relieve them, but without so much as a visit 
from a surgeon! — Let it not be supposed that the writer of 
these pages, has taken the liberty to ' set down aught' in aggra- 
vation of the treatment here depicted — so far from feeling a 
pleasure in opening anew the rancorous sores that so long fes- 
tered between two nations of the same kindred and language 

— and which it is sincerely hoped are now forever healed — the 
writer would willingly have suppressed the whole scene, if it could 
have been done consistently with the obligations of biographi- 
cal truth. What is here detailed is siven, without adornment 
or exaggeration, almost in the very words of one, who saw, and 
suffered, just as he has described. We have seen on several 
occasions, how ready he was to speak well of his enemy, when 
he met with one who deserved it — let us then do him the justice 
to believe that he would, on no occasion, speak ill of the same 
enemy, unless compelled to do so by a sacred regard for truth. 

On their arrival at Plymouth, the survivors of these wretch- 
ed American officers, pale, emaciated, feeble and suffering un- 
der a loathsome phthiriasis, were ordered upon deck — what a 
spectacle for the eye of a brave, magnanimous, and higlimind- 
ed enemy ! Not one of them was able to stand erect — many 
of them were unable to stand at all — and the effect of the 
sudden lighi of day — from which they had been excluded for 
fiftythree days — upon their weak and dilated pupils, is descri- 
bed by Lieutenant B.irney as being ' insufferably severe.' They 
were immediately removed to a prison-ship in Plymouth Roads, 
which, crowded, dirty, and disagreeable as it actually was, ap- 
peared a paradise to tliem, in comparison with what they had 
left. Here, with the blessing of Providence, and the effect of a 
freer air upon youth and good constitutions, they gradually re- 
covered health and strength, to bear the further ills in store for 
them. As soon as they had acquired sufficient force to walk, 
without leaning upon each other, they were taken ashore, under 
a strong military guard, and marched before a certain tribunal 



88 



MEMOIR OP 



— whether composed of civil or martial judges, they were not 
informed — by which they were asked sundry absurd and in- 
sulting questions, touching their ' revoh,' and the ' allegiance' 
they owed to His most Gracious Majesty ; and were then com- 
mitted to Mill Prison, as ' rebels.' Within the walls of" this 
strong hold, they i'ound betu^een two and three bundled of their 
unfortunate countrymen already incarcerated. 

' Mill Prison' was situated in the centre of an extensive court, 
surrounded by high, double walls with an area of twenty feet 
between them. Numerous sentinels were posted, not only 
among the prisoners within. the building and court, but in the 
area between tlie surrounding walls, and along the Vt'hole line 
of the outer wall. The gates in the two walls were placed 
over against each other; the upper one was formed of an iron 
paling eight feet high ; the lower one stood open for the most 
pan all day, in order to allow free communication with the 
keeper of the prison, whose office stood in the area. From 
eight o'clock in the morning until sunset, the prisoners were 
allowed the freedom of the court yard. We have been thus 
particular in describing the position and defences of this place, 
that our readers may the better understand and appreciate the 
boldness that could attempt and overcome such obstacles of 
strength and vigilance. Many of the prisoners, at various 
times, by a series of patient, arduous, and long continued toils, 
which if detailed in a romance would be regarded as incredi- 
ble, succeeded in delivering themselves from this incarceration. 
On one occasion, several of them volunteered, as pioneers, to 
make trial of the common sewer, which, at a considerable depth 
under ground, emptied itself into the river : even to get into 
this nau.seous receptacle required an unremitted labor of several 
days and nights, by sawing iron bars, and boring into solid stone. 
It was agreed that if the pioneeis did not retmrn after the laspe 
of a certain time, others might follow, taking it for granted that 
the first had been successful. They had supposed that all the 
obstructions in the sewer would be n^'et within the walls, and that 
having once overcome these, their egress to the river would be 
free; but alas! after wading several hundred feet, nearly up to 
their knees in this loathsome subterranean stream, they found their 
course unexpectedly impeded by a double iron grating, which 
neither their strength nor ingenuity could remove ; and they 
were compelled to return, more dead than alive, from breathing 
so long the horrible atmosphere of this foul passage. — Many 
of these attempts were discovered and frustrated at the mo- 
ment when fortune seemed most propitious, and the culprits 
were always severely punished. 



COMMODORE BARNEY. 



69 



Lieutenant Barney, whose bold, undaunted bearing, intrepid 
courage, and ready wit, rendered him a constant object of 
suspicion to his jailors, was on one occasion punished for a 
suspected attempt — for, though in fact he was the mover of 
the plot, there was no proof to convict him — by confinement 
in a sohtary dungeon for thirty days, in heavy double irons. 
When again restored to the common liberty of the yard, where 
the prisoners were in the daily habit of exercising themselves 
in various athletic games, he affected to have sprained his ancle 
in jumping at ' leap-frog,' had it bathed and bandaged, and 
for a long time was unable to walk without crutches. A few 
only of his confidential fellow-prisoners were aware of the 
stratagem : the suspicions of his jailors, were for a time effect- 
ually lulled, and he made his arrangements without interruption. 
— Among the soldiers who guarded the prison, there was one 
who had served in the United States, and who, from some in- 
stances of remembered kindness which he had there experienc- 
ed, delighted in showing civility to the American prisoners. 
Barney, whose faculties were always awake, h^d early dis- 
covered this soldier, and penetrated the grateful trait in his 
character, which he resolved to turn to account. He contrived 
to hold several conversations with him, and by degrees made a 
warm friend of him. On the 18th of May, 1781, it was the 
turn of this friendly soldier to mount guard, between the two 
gates already described — his hours were from noon till 2 
o'clock. Barney, who was hobbling about upon his crutches, 
moved towards the gate to speak to his friend through the pal- 
ing — he whispered, interrogatively, ' Today 9^ — the soldier 
replied in the same low lone, ' Dinner !^ — Barney instantly 
comprehended his meaning — one o'clock was the hour at 
which the jailor, and every body but the sentinels, took their 
dinners. He retired to his room ; equipped himself in the un- 
dress uniform of an English officer, which he bad provided 
for the occasion ; threw over all his old great coat, (in which 
he had been dressed all the morning) to avoid the notice of the 
inner sentinels ; and then sought his confidential friends, whose 
assistance would still be indispensable to success : some of these 
undertook to keep the sentinels, at certain posts, in parley ; and 
one of them, (a lad of such slender dimensions that he could 
creep through his window bars at pleasure,) in order that his 
absence might be the longer unsuspected, was, after answering 
to his own name at roll-call in his room, to crawl through the 
window and answer for Barney in the yard : — another of his 
friends, a tall, stout man, had already taken his station near the 
8* 



90 MEMOIR OP 

gate. Thus prepared at all points, our bold adventurer de- 
scended into the court ; he reached the gate without challenge ; 
interchanged a wink with the soldier, which satisfied him that 
now was the accepted time ; and springing, with the agility of 
a cat, upon the shoulders of bis tall fellow-prisoner, who stood 
ready for the purpose, was in a moment over the barrier, and 
safe u])on his feet : he threw his great coat from him as he 
lighted upon the ground ; thrust four guineas into the hand of 
his blind friend, the soldier, as he passed him ; and walking 
boldly through the outer gate, without even being seen by its 
careless guardian, whose back was towards the prison, was in 
ten minutes safe, in tiie house of a well known friend to the 
American cause, in Plymouth ! 

The unannounced intrusion of a British officer into such a 
house, was serious cause of alarm to its disaffected inmates; 
and this alarm, though it took a different course, was not much 
lessened, when our run-away explained his disguise, and the 
nature of his situation. It was a perilous thing to protect an 
escaped prisoner, amounting to no less than high treason ; but 
it was a peril which this generous family, without hesitation, 
determined to run, and Lieutenant Barney was welcomed with 
the same kindness and hospitality which they had, on all occa- 
sions, shown towards the Americans, whether prisoners or free. 
He was concealed during the day ; but, contrary to their fears 
and expectations, no inquiry was made for him, nor did there 
appear any indication, about the town or prison, that his escape 
had been discovered. In the evening he was taken by this 
amiable family to the house of their father, a venerable clergy- 
man of Plymouth, where they well knew he would be safer 
than with them, and treated wiih equal kindness. At the house 
of this respectable and christian minister of the gospel, which 
in common with that of the son was the hospitable resort of all 
the Americans whom the fortune of war or inclination brought 
to Plymouth, Lieutenant Barney had the unexpected gratifica- 
tion of meeting with two friends from his native state — Col- 
onel William Richardson, and Doctor Hindman, both of the 
eastern shore of Maryland. They had been captured a short 
time before — or to speak more correctly, for they were not 
made prisoners, a vessel in which they happened to be passen- 
gers fell into the hands of the enemy, — and they were now 
anxiously waiting for an opportunity to return to the United 
States. In this object they had been hitherto entirely unsuccess- 
ful, and the meeting with Barney was regarded as the only 
auspicious incident that occurred in their search — for they 



COMMODORE BARNEY. 



91 



both had the most unlimited confidence in his promptitude of 
resource and energy of character. He at once proposed to 
the two £;entlemen to purchase a small fishing vessel, and 
leave all the rest to him. This was done, without even putting 
a question to him as to the feasibility of his plan ; and in three 
or four days everything was prepared as he directed — the 
two friends were advised to take up their lodgings on board the 
vessel over night, leaving their servant to follow with him in the 
morning. — With the single assistance of this servant, an Ameri- 
can, it was his design to navigate the little vessel, and make his 
way with her to the coast of France, where, if they should be 
fortunate enough to arrivcj all difficulties would of course be 
at an end ; but it would never do to play ihe fisherman in an 
English officer's undress uniform — he had thrown away his 
old great coat on clearing the prison gate, and had given away 
the last guinea he had to his hiend the sentinel. He question- 
ed the servant — were there no old cover-alls among his 
master's baggage.? — O yes, the very thing! He made thia 
man, who was to play butn camarado, equip himself in the 
coarsest and most tattered apparel his wardrobe furnished, 
while he, with his ' fear-nothing' great coat, tied around the 
middle with an old rope's end, and a tarpaulin hat, and a 
' knowing tie' upon the black silk handkerchief around his neck, 
looked the Poissonnicr complete. He had now to take leave 
of his kind and excellent friends, which he did with a tear of 
heartfelt gratitude, and by the earliest peep of dawn, he and 
his humble comrade were on board the little vessel. 

When it is understood that Admiral Dighy lay with a large 
fleet at the mouth of the river, through which our fishermen 
must pass before they could get to sea — that there was, at 
least, a strong probability, that the escape of Barney from pri- 
son must have been long since discovered, notwithstandina; the 
promise of his friend ' Slender' to answer the roll-call, and if 
discovered made known to the fleet — that the least unusual 
appearance in his assumed character would excite suspicion, 
and lead to the examination of his vessel — and that, passing 
the fleet in safety, he had yet to encounter the numerous crui- 
sers that were constantly plying in the J3ritish Channel, — and 
to crown all, that there was not a man on board but himself who 
h;id ever handled a rope or knew what it was to ' hand, reef 
or steer,' in the language of the song : — this attempt of Lieu- 
tenant Barney may be regarded as even more daring and ad- 
venturous, than that by which he delivered himself from bond- 
age a few days before. The chances in both cases were a 



92 



MEMOIR OP 



thousand to one against him, and in the pfesent, if retaken, ha 
had every reason to believe his life would be the forfeit. His 
two friends were almost as adventurous as himself; they not 
only jeoparded the liberty which had been hitherto allowed 
them, but ran the hazard of being treated as accessaries to the 
escape of a prisoner : it may be well believed, that their confi- 
■ dence in their young countrymen was ' unlimited.' 

They were under way before sunrise. Barney's orders to 
the two gentlemen to ' keep snug below,' were faithfully obey- 
ed, and the Wvo fishermen appeared to be the only tenants of 
the smack. A fine breeze wafted them swiftly along the rece- 
ding tide, and in a little while they were in the midst of a hos- 
tile fleet : the ' skipper,' as, with seeming unconcern, he steered 
his little bark through the fearful array, bent upon them a look 
of anxious interest — his experienced eye could detect no sign 
of awakened suspicion — he passed the last ship, unquestioned, 
unnoticed, and began to breathe more freely ; — we say, to 
breofhe more freely, for the stoutest heart that ever beat in a 
human bosom, could not have passed such a scene, under such 
circumstances, without being sensible of a quicker play of the 
kings and an accelerated pulsation of the arteries. He pulled 
off his tarpaulin, and wiped the perspiration from his face — 

* Thank God ! we are safe through thnt^ — said he, calling to 
his friends below. But these friends were unhappily not in a 
condition to join in the thanksgiving, either on their own ac- 
count. or his : they were in the first paroxysm of that most 
horrible, most emasculating, and least commiserated, of all hu- 
man sufferings, the ' seasickness.' — Receiving no response to 
bis exclamation, Barney supposed they were asleep, and began 
to feel a little vexed at their want of sensibility to the perils of 
their situation. He called out again. ' Below ! there ! ' — 

* Oh ! oh ! oh, my ! ah ! augh ! ugh ! ' — ' What 's the matter, 
Colonel? — What.-* are you at it too, Doctor.^' — 'A — h! 
O — h ! u — gh ! ' in all the various tones and semitones of the 
j^amut, were the only replies he could get ' from below !' — 
What sailor ever pitied the oceanic nausea of a landsman ! We 
have seen dozens at a time of these poor, suffering, agonized 
creatures, straining their very lives out, while hundreds of ' gen- 
erous tars' were standing by, ' enjoying the/im' and laughing 
with as much giisto as if it were really a farce got up solely for 
their amusement ! — Barney called to his ' brother-fisher- 
man' on deck : ' Jem ! go cut your master a piece of that fat 
pork — it's a sovereign remedy in these cases ! ' — But ' Jem,' 
was lying flat upon the deck with his head in the scuppers — 



COMMODORE BARNEY. 93 

following the example of his master; and our skipper found 
himself as much alone in the vessel as if his companions had 
actually yielded up the ghost. 

In tliis situation, and while he was still smiling at the scene 
before him, and anticipating that, if the wind continued a lew 
hours more as favorable as it now was, he would rea( h the 
coast of France without wanting assistance from his prostrated 
companions, he descried a sail at a distance, which his quick 
and practised eye enabled him to decide at once to be steering 
upon his track. He was not deceived — in less than an hour, 
the vessel was along side of him, and a boat with an officer 
came on board. Now was the time for that coolness and de- 
cision, that energy and promptitude of resource in danger, in 
which his friends so confidently trusted. Forcible resistance 
was out of the question : firmness of mind, and mother-wit 
might save him — nothing eke could. The boarding vessel 
was a Guernsey privateer — the officer who was sent to exam- 
ine him, demanded what he had on board, and whither he was 
bound ? — 

' I have nothing on board — and am bound to the coast of 
France,' answered Barney, to the astonishment of his cjues- 
tioner. 

' Your business there ? ' demanded the other. 

' I cannot disclose to you my business,' untying the rope that 
confined the old coat around him as he spoke, and carelessly 
opening to the view of the examiner the British half uniform, 
in whicli he was dressed. The sight of it liad an instant eflect 
upon the privateersman, who touched his hat and became very 
polite. Barney saw his advantage, and continued in a firm 
and authoritative tone — 'Sir, 1 must not be detained; my 
business'is urgent — and you must suffer me to proceed, or you 
will, perhaps, find cause to regret it ! ' 

The boarding officer very obsequiously replied, tbat he would 
return to the privateer, and report to the captain. So far, 
then, everything prospered, and there was still hope : if the 
captain should prove to be as complaisant and unsuspicious as 
his officer, he would escape — and escape, too, by having s;iven 
the literal truth in reply to his interrogator ! — But we must not 
anticipate ; the captain of the privateer. himself came on board 
upon the report of his officer, and though equally civil was rath- 
er more experienced in the arts of 'overhauling.' He desired 
to know the business which could carry a British officer, thus 
inadequately attended, to the eneiny's coast — ' I should be very 
sorry to stop you, sir,' said he, ' if you are on public business j 



94 MEMOIR OP 

but if this be the fact, it must surely be in your power to give 
me some proof of it, without disclosing the secrets of govern- 
ment — which 1 have no desire to know,' — Barney foresaw at 
once that this was the preface to a much closer scrutiny than it 
would be possible for him to sustain, but he nevertheless an- 
swered very promptly, and very truly, to the remark of the 
privateer-captain, that, to show him such proof as he required, 
would be to put at hazard the whole success of his enterprise, 
which depended upon its being carefully guarded from the 
knowledge of all but those entrusted with its execution. 

' Then, sir, I shall be under the necessity of carrying you to 
England,' said the pertinacious inquisitor. 

' Do as you please, sir,' replied Barney, with a calmness of 
manner which he was far from feeling — ' but remember, it 
is at your peril. All I have further to say, sir, is, that if you per- 
sist in interrupting my voyage, I must demand of you to carry 
me directly on board of Admiral Digby's ship at Plymouth.' 

This was the last bold stroke of our lieutenant — he thought 
it not improbable that the privateersman would be afraid to ven- 
ture among the fleet, lest he might lose his men by impress- 
ment and that, rather than comply wiih such a demand, he would 
be induced to look upon it as satisfactorily removing all ground 
of suspicion. He did in truth appear to deliberate for a few 
moments, and Barney endeavored to fasten the hint in his mind 
by praising the neat, sailor-like appearance of his boafs crexv. 
But it was all in vain — the lates were against him, and he was 
once more a prisoner. Night was now coming on : the captain 
of the privateer left an officer and two men on board the smack, 
and giving them .orders to follow him to Plymouth, returned to 
his own vessel. 

If his companions had not been so utterly helpless from the 
enervating effects of their seasickness, it might have been easily 
in their power to have retaken the vessel from the small force 
left on board ; but such an idea, under the circumstances of 
the case, was not to be thought of, and Barney submitted 
quietly to his destiny. They were all night in beating back to 
the English coast, and on the following morning entered a small 
bay about two leagues fi'om Plymouth, where the privateer and 
her prize came to anchor. The captors still continued to treat 
their prisoner with the respect due to his buttons, but seemed 
entirely at a loss how to comprehend his assumed character. 
Leaving him and his companions on board the privateer, her 
captain went off in his boat to make his report to the admiral 
•^ a report which we doubt not that officer was as little able 



COMMODORE BARNEV. 95 

to comprehend as the individual who framed it. Soon after 
the privateer's man's departure, nearly all his men went ashore, 
on pretence of keeping out of the way of press-gangs, so that 
the privateer was left with only one officer and three or four 
men. 

Barney's friends, who had by this time recovered sufficiently 
to have a full preception of their critical situation, began to ex- 
press considerable uneasiness — they anticipated a long incar- 
ceration, if nothing worse, as abettors of his attempt to escape, 
and would willingly have compounded for their liberty with the 
loss of their vessel, and a few hundreds to the boot. Barney 
had no consolation to offer them — in truth his thoughts were 
otherwise occu|)ied : he was concocting a plan for his own escape; 
which he well knew would prevent his countrymen from com- 
ing to any harm, provided they kept their own counsel — ihey 
were not prisoners, and unless he should be found in their 
company, it was not likely they would be detained a moment 

— as to their present fretting, it was not worth a thoug' t. He 
walked the deck, with the air of one who commanded it, rather 
than as one whose life was in jeopardy, and afi'ecting at length to 
be tired, threw himself carelessly along the stern board, and slept 

— or seemed to sleep. ^s tlie dinner hour approached, the 
few of the privateer's men who were not snoring on the deck 
were- busily preparing their several messes, and his presence on 
board seemed to have been forgotten — the small boat of the 
privateer hung at her stern by the tow-rope — he slipped down 
into it, (with no other accident than rubbing a little of the skin 
from one of his shins,) cut the rope, and sculled himself ashore— - 
to the very spot where the men from the privateer had landed 
in the morning ! This was a small town, or village called Cau- 
sen, from the name of the bay. 

It is remarkable, that not a man on board the privateer saw 
him, or became aware of his escape until he was beyond their 
reach. He would probably not have landed exactly at that 
point, if Ije could have had hh choke; but the wind blew 
strong upon it, and he had no help for it. As he approached 
the shore several of the lounging inhabitants came to meet him, 
and among them a custom-house officer ; he jumped boldly out 
of his boat, and called upon some of those who stood by to 
* lend him a hand to haul her up on the beach' — ay ! ay ! 
sir,' was the ready answer. ' Where did you catch her .'' ' 
asked the custom-house officer, ' what has she got aboard.^* 

— But for the hurt on his shin, which w"as actually bleeding 
through his stocking, and fortunately served him as good excuse 



96 ' 



MEMOIR OF 



for being In haste ' to get something to it,' these questions must 
soon have led to the discovery that he was not what the good 
people took him for, an officer of the privateer : he was siifler- 
ed, therefore, to proceed, after showing his leg, without further 
annoyance. Before he moved on, however, he bowed to the 
great man of the village, the custom-house officer, and said — 
* Pray, sir, can you tell me where our people are ? ' — 'I think, 
sir, you'll find them all at the Red Lion, the very last house in 
the village ! ' — ' Thank you, sir, I wish you a very good morn- 
ing,' and off marched our daring countryman, with a quick 
step, but a heart by no means at ease. He found himself com- 
pelled to pass the tavern indicated, for there was no other road 
out of the village — he turned the corner, as he thought unper- 
ceived : but the monient afterwards, a sailor hailed him — 
' Holloa ! lieutenant ! I'm glad you 're come ashore — we was 
jist a thinking some on us to go off arter you.' — ' And what for, 
pray?' asked the lieutenant, not without some misgivings. 
' Why, may be as how some on us might ship, if we knowed a 
thing or two.' Barney saw directly tliat his story had gained 
full credit with the sailors, and that he was still believed to be a 
British officer. He continued to walk on, endeavoring to hold 
the man in conversation, until they had left the town some dis- 
tance behind them — the sailor made a pause, and asked where 
he was going ? — To Plymouth ; come you might as well go along 
with me.' — The tar hesitated a moment, he had not quite made 
up his mind yet, he said, and may be if the lieutenant got him 
to Plymouth, he might keep him there — he believed, on the 
whole he would go back to the privateer; and wishing a pleasant 
walk to the lieutenant, he turned about to retrace his steps to the 
village. 

No sooner was this good natured tar out of sight, than our wan- 
derer began to quicken his steps into a run, lest he might be 
overhauled by others of the gang not so easily to be duped. 
Deeming it advisable to quit the highway as speedily as possible, 
he jumped over a hedge, and found himself in an elegant park; 
he traversed this, passed near a superb chateau, and at length 
made his way into a large and beautifully decorated garden, 
where he thought he might find some sequestered spot to repose 
himself for a few minutes, for he began not only to feel ex- 
cessively fatigued, but to suffer considerable pain from the 
wound on his leg. The garden, however, was not without 
its proper guardian. In entering one of its numerous bowers 
he stumbled upon the old gardener, who looked as much aston- 
ished at the intrusion as if he had dropped from the clouds. 



COMMODORE BARNEY. 



97 



The old man asked, as soon as he found breath, how he came 
there ? — The story was soon told — he belonged to a privateer 
in Causen Bay ; was going to Plymouth ; had hurt his leg 
which pained hira very much ; and he was taking the shortest 
cut to get to town as soon as he could ! ' But don't you know,' 
said this ancient Adam, ' that there 's ajine of half a guinea for 
crossing a hedge ? ' — No, indeed ! how should he know hav- 
ing been at sea all his life! — It was not very difticult to per- 
suade the old man, that no wrong or insult, had been intended 
to ' my Lord Edgecombe' — who it seems was the proprietor of 
this princely establishment — and in the end he became so 
good natured as to give egress to our traveller at a back pos- 
tern that opened from the garden upon the river. This was an 
important advantage gained ; for it enabled him to avoid the 
public ferry, and the necessity of passing his old prison — a 
butcher, who happened to be just passing at the moment in a 
small wherry, with two sheep for the market, was prevailed 
upon to set him across the river for sixpence, and before night 
he was once more safe under the hospitable roof of the venera- 
ble clergyman at Plymouth. 



a 



CHAPTER IX. 



Singular good fortune of Lieutenant Barney in eluding his pursuers : — 
while at supper with his friends, the Town crier rings his bell under 
the windows, proclaims a reward for his apprehension, and describes 
his person, and dress : consternation and alarm of his friends : — 
— his own sangfroid on the occasion : — procures a new dress, and takes a 
Post-chaise at midnight lor Exeter : — laughable deception of the Sentinel 
at the gate : — he reaches Exeter in safety : — adventure on the road thence 
to Bristol : — meets with friends : — goes to London : — is hardly dissuaded 
from the hazardous design of visiting Mr Laurens in the Tower : — kindness 
of an officer of the Custom House : — sails (orOstend: — rom.nntic adven- 
ture, and agreeable journey thence to Brussels : — unexpected introiluction 
to the Emperor of Austria — travels through Antwerp and Kotterddm to the 
Hague: — sees the Prince of Orange : — arrives at Amsterdam: — meets 
with Mr John Adams, and is kindly received : — takes passage in the frigate 
South Carolina — quits her at Corunna, in Spain, and takes passage in a 
Massachusetts Privateer : — visits Bilboa : — arrives at Beverly : — honora- 
ble offer to him by the Messrs Cabot : — he declines it, and sets out for Bos- 
ton — hospitable reception there : — is detained by snow-storms — travels 
in a sleigh to Princeton: — arrives safely at Philadelphia — meeting with 
his wife and son. 



It must often occur to those who closely observe the events 
of human life, to find a verification of the apothegm that Le 
vrai n'est pas toujows le vraisemblahle — that which is un- 
questionably true, has often very little the semblance of truth. 
There is an apparent wildness of romantic improbability in 
many of the incidents that occurred to the subject of these 
memoirs during his imprisonment in England, which might 
almost tempt one to believe that they were rather the dreams of 
an excited imagination than the sober record of realities, were 
it not, that, besides his own w-?l known and characteristic love of 
truth, there is abundant testimony in confirmation of these pas- 
sages of his life. It would seem to be almost incredible, and 
yet it is certainly a fact, that Lieutenant Barney's escape, in the 
open day, from Mill Prison, was never discovered, until the 
inquiries set on foot by Admiral Digby, in consequence of the 
report made to him by the captain of the privateer, led to a 
personal inspection of all the prisoners. In less than an hour 



MEMOIR OF COMMODORE BARNEV. 99 

after he had slipped off from the privateer, a guard which had 
been despatched from the prison at Plymouth, arrived at the 
little village of Causen ; and he must inevitably have run into 
the very arms of this guard — all of whom were of course 
well acquainted with his person — if he had kept on the high 
way only a kw hundred yards farther then he did : his trespass 
upon the hedge of Lord Edgecombe alone saved him. 

To the two friends whom he had so unceremoniously aban- 
doned, it happened just as he had foreseen — he not being 
found in their company, they were immediately released by 
order of the admiral, and their little fishing vessel — albeit 
of very little use to them without her 'skipper' — was given up. 
In the course of the evening, these two gentlemen, also, both 
returned to the house of the clergyman ; and thus was every- 
thing brought back to the point from which they had started 
two days before. But it very soon became evident, that though 
the situation of his two friends had not been rendered worse 
by the experiment, that of Barney himself was a hundred fold 
more precarious and full of danger. — While the family and 
their three guests sat at supper, laughing over the adventures of 
the last fortyeight hours, and passing not a few jokes upon the 
vigilance of the guard at Mill Prison, the bell of the town 
crier sent forth a peal near the windows that startled them all, 
and the next moment they heard him proclaiming ' Five guin- 
eas reward, for the apprehension of Joshua Barney, a rebel de- 
serter from Mill Prison,' &c, he. — The proclamation went on 
to describe minutely his person and dress, and called upon all 
loyal subjects to aid, and so forth ! For a moment it was 
thought by all present, that the bellman had seemed to address 
his proclamation particularly to that house ! and that a military 
reconnoissance would speedily follow ; but the sound passed 
away, and the street remained quiet. While every counte- 
nance at table, was turned upon the subject of this proclama- 
tion, with a look of mingled sympathy and despondence, he 
himself exhibited no symptom of alarm : on the contrary, he 
thought the proclamation, bawled as it was into his very ears, 
the most fortunate thing that could have happened for him ; and 
the bellman had no sooner passed out of hearing than he jump- 
ed up from the table and repealing, with a ludicrous imitation 
of his nasal twang, the minute description of his dress, declared 
himself under great obligations to the generosity of the town 
crier, for reminding him of the necessity of changing his dis- 
guise ! 

He continued to lie perdue in the snug quarters of the 



100 MEMOIR OP 

parsonage house for three days longer, in the course of which 
time one of the sons of his ftiend the clergyman, whose size 
very nearly corresponded with his own, ordered a new suit of 
fashionable clothes from his tailor, which fitted admirably, and 
undertook to procure a post-chaise for Exeter. His Mary- 
land friends readily replenished his empty purse — and every- 
thing was prepared for another experiment. He bade farewell 
once more to his kind protectors, and at midnight, accom- 
panied by one of the old gentleman's sons, he repaired to the 
spot where the post-chaise had previously been ordered to be 
in readiness — it was there; he shook hands with his young 
friend, wished him a gay good-night, stepped into the chaise, and 
off it whirled. Now, then, thought he, all promises fair! 'I 
have only to play the part of an independent gentleman, and 
who shall dare call me deserter!'' — In a few minutes they 
reached the gate of the town — ' Hnlt ! ' cried a sentinel with 
the voice of a stentor : the driver obeyed on the instant ; the 
chaise door was opened by a fellow ol' Herculean proportions, 
who thrust a lamp into the carriage, and repeating aloud the 
description of person and dress so faithfully set forth in the 
proclamation of the town crier, began very deliberately to 
compare the portrait with the original before him. The pre- 
sence of mind of the ' gentleman traveller' did not desert him 
on this critical occasion — his ' handsome mouth' took a sudden 
' twist to larboard' ; his ' dark, flashing, sprightly eyes,' squinted 
so awfully, that he might have been mistaken for the ghost of 
that celebrated historian who owed his name to the like defect 
of vision ; and he demanded, in a tone of insulted dignity, to 
know what the fellow meant by such insolence ! The soldier 
by this time perfectly satisfied with the result of his scrutiny, 
begged the gentleman's pardon, and ordered the postilion to 
drive on : the latter did his duty faithfully, his horses were 
' good blood,' and by daylight, they entered the town of Exe- 
ter, a distance of fortyfive miles from Plymouth. 

As the post-chaise drove into the inn-yard at Exeter, a stage- 
coach was just about to leave it : our traveller called out to 
know where it was going, and being answered ' to Bristol !' he 
ordered it to wait a moment, got out of his chaise, paid the boy 
handsomely for his night's work, jumped into the starting coach, 
and was on the road again without the loss of a moment. The 
reader may believe, that he was not very much displeased to find, 
as the increasing light gave him an opportunity of examining the 
interior of the coach, that he had but one companion — a young 



COMMODORE BARNEV. 



101 



temale, of modest, and interesting appearance, to whom — as 
was his wont on such occasions — he soon became very atten- 
tive, ' and all that.' He pretended to discover in her a great 
resemblance to ' a sister' whom he loved very much, and fancy- 
ing that this gave him a sort of claim to her acquaintance, he 
acted the ' brother' a merveilles, during the whole journey to 
Bristol ; and by this innocent artifice not only afforded respect- 
able protection to, perhaps, a very deserving young lady, but 
avoided, to himself, any of the inconveniences that might have 
attended his travelling as an unknown and unconnected stran- 

<rpr 

On his arrival at Bristol, he went immediately in search of 
the gentleman upon whom he had a letter of credit, and was 
agreeably surprised to hear from him, that there was an Amer- 
ican agent then in Bristol, a gentleman from Virginia, who 
would no doubt be glad to see and converse with him. Mr 
Clifford very kindly undertook to introduce him, and the Vir- 
ginian received and entertained him with the most gratifying 
courtesy and hospitality. Being assured that he might consid- 
er himself safe from pursuit at Bristol, he was persuaded to re- 
main here for a couple of weeks, and take that repose which 
his late active adventures had rendered so necessary. On quit- 
ting this quiet and peaceful retreat, he was advised by the Ameri- 
can agent to proceed directly to London, where he would be not 
only more likely to hear of safe opportunities of return to the 
United States, but be better able to avoid suspicion and detec- 
tion, until such an opportunity occurred. The gentleman fur- 
nished him with the name of an individual in London, an officer 
of the Customs, and a countryman — and gave him the impres- 
sion of his seal in wax, telling hiin that nothing more would be 
necessary than the presentation of that, to insure him a hearty 
welcome, and every service he might need, fiom this Govern- 
ment officer. Thus furnished, he took his seat in the mail-coach 
for the great metropolis, and arrived witiiout meeting with a single 
incident to remind him that he was a runaway prisoner, travel- 
ling in the very heart of his enemy's territory. He followed die 
advice of his Bristol friend, and took the earliest opportunity of 
presenting himself to the Virginian, whom he found holding an 
important post in the custom-house. The reception which had 
been promised him, v.'as more than realized — the Virginian in- 
troduced him immediately to his family, procured respectable 
lodgings for him in the neighborhood, and spent the greater 
part of the leisure which his official duties allowed him, in 
9* 



102 



MEMOIR OP 



accompanying his guest to visit the many objects of interest 
and curiosity, which this ' world-in-itself imbounds.* 

He remained six weeks in London, before achance occurred 
of leaving it with favorable prospects ; during all which time, 
it was never once brought to his recollection, that a price was 
set upon his head ! No man ever felt less like a proclaimed 
deserter, or enjoyed the hospitalities pressed upon him with a 
freer heart. The distinguished American patriot, Laurens, 
was at this moment imprisoned in the tower of London — 
though Barney knev/ him at the time, only by name and repu- 
tation, he would have hurried off to pay his respects the instant 
the information was communicated to him, had not his friend 
very judiciously stopped him, by representing that it would be 
running foolishly into the lion's mouth ; that it would be impos- 
sible to gain admission to Mr Laurens, without making certain 
disclosures concerning himself, which might be attended with 
very inconvenient consequences. This was certainly very pru- 
dent advice, and for once in his life, the lieutenant suffered his 
inclination to be overruled by the dictates of discretion. — He 
had an opportunity, before he left London, of seeing ' the King* 

— upon whom he had bestowed many a left-handed blessing 

— and all the ' royal family,' as they moved in procession to 
St Paul's and had the grace to acknowledge to his friend the 
Virginian, that they were by no means so savage-looking as he 
had imagined them to be. 

Tited at length of ' life in London 'or rather beginning to 
feel that he ought to make some effort to return to his country, 
whatever dangers might stand in the way, or however circuitous 
the route, it might become necessary for him to take, he made 
his way to Margate, and tliere took passage in one of the 
packets just about to sail for Oslend. — We have hesitated, after 
reading his Jom-nal, whether we ought not to leave {Wis passage 
to the reader's imagination, and take up oiu' subject again at 
Bruges, or Brussels, or some other distant point of the Euro- 
pean continent — but upon the whole, we have resolved that it 
would be better to follow him up closely throughout the voyage 
and subsequent jotn-ney, than leave him for a moment exposed 
to conjectures and surmises, in which the most good natured 

• Soon after he reached London, Mr Barney called upon Lady Grant — 
tho sister of Mrs Barney's mother — who received hiiri kindly enough, un- 
til made acquainted with the fact of his escape from prison, which so alarm- 
ed her, that she offered him a purso of gold and peremptorily commanded 
him to quit London immediately. Her husband was a zealous ministerialist, 
and of course, violently opposed to the cause of ' the Rebels.' 



COMMODORE BARNEY. 



103 



reader would be very apt to indulge, very unjustly, to his 
prejudice. — Upon going on board the packet, he found it more 
agreeable for some time to remain upon deck, and breathe the 
free air, and watch the various points of land as they rapidly 
turned their different faces to the passing vessel, than to follow 
the crowd into a confined cabin, where from his experience 
in these matters, he anticipated nothing that could pay him for 
the sacrifice of his ease. As he walked the deck, and exam- 
ined the many curious articles of lading, that still lay strewed 
about its surface, he was surprised to see a splendid equipat^e, 
and four elegant, beautifully matched horses, in the care of sev- 
eral servants, in rich liveries. He had seen nobody on board, 
to whom he thought such an establishment could belong — for 
the passengers appeared to him, for the most part, to be of the 
common class of traders and shopkeepers, whose object was 
business rather than pleasure — and it excited his curiosity ; he 
disliked the idea of questioning one of the servants, for he 
knew that the ' gentleman of that corps' were not always dis- 
posed to give a civil answer — he determined, therefore, to join 
the company in the cabin, and by a closer scrutiny find out 
whether tlsere were any among them whom he had not yet seen. 
The packet was now in the channel, the wind was blovv'ing 
freshly, and there was a heavy cross sea running — just that 
state of things, which is sure to make a landsman curse the 
stars, that tempted him to trust to the promises of the fickle 
ocean. He walked down into the cabin — it reminded him 
of his dungeon aboard the Yarmouth — small, crowded, and 
suffocating — he manaj^ed to push his way through the agitated 
mass, until he came to the after-locker, sealed upon which, 
under one of the windows, was a female who seemed to be 
entirely unattended and suffering the extremest horrors of that 
malady we have already had occasion to mention. She was 
the only female of the party, and not one of the numerous 
crowd around gave the slightest indication that he was even 
aware of her presence. What a set of insensible savages ! — 
If there be one situation in which above all others a beautiful 
woman would not choose to be seen — by one in whom she 
desired to excite an interest of a certain kind ^- it must surely 
be such a one as that in which this lady was now found. There 
are many afflictions that give a heightening interest to the most 
lovely features — degrees and kinds of suffering that add a 
softening charm to die sweetest countenance ; — but we are 
very willing to believe, that 'seasickness' is not among the 
number of these improving maladies, — at least, when it 



104 



MEMOIR OP 



reaches a certain stage. We have said, that no sailor ever felt 
commiseration for those who are so wretched as to be thus 
afflicted ; but, of course, we meant to charge this want of 
pitying sympathy only in the case of your great lubberly, two- 
fisted landsman, who had never passed within the magic circles 
of Cancer or Capricorn, and who therefore were not to be sup- 
posed worthy of a sailor's pity — but in the case of woman — 
' lovely woman ' — Oest toute autre chose — there is a tender 
chord in the bosom of every seaman, that the sight of woman 
in distress never fails to touch with sympathetic vibration. 
Here was a case that would have lit up the dormant spark of 
humanity in any breast, save in those of the cold and selfish 
barbarians who now filled the cabin of the packet. Lieutenant 
Barney looked around upon the unfeeling, vulgar crowd, with 
a scowl of indignation, and approached the suffering female to 
offer his sympathy and assistance. Nothing could have been 
better timed — the lacly had become so enfeebled, by the re- 
peated and powerful efforts of nature to relieve her, that she 
must have sunk upon the floor of the cabin, had not the ready 
arm of our gallant countryman been stretched forth at the 
moment to receive her. She was too sick, too faint, to testify, 
by words, whether she was grateful for, or offended at, this 
opportune, and manifestly compassionate, act of familiarity ; 
but the tranquil manner in which she rested her aching head 
upon the shoulder of her supporter, and the soft expression of 
her swimming eyes as she upraised them to his — spoke in- 
telligibly enough, that she would have thanked him, if she had 
had power of utterance. 

Our readers may, perhaps, remember that, in the case of the 
two Maryland gentlemen on board the unfortunate fishing 
vessel. Lieutenant Barney recommended a very singular remedy, 
which he pronounced to be ' sovereign ' in all attacks of the 
mal cle mer or nausea marina : — we may jud^e of his sincerity 
on that occasion, by the very different remedy which he pre- 
scribed for the sick lady — he ordered a cup of ' mulled wine ' 
to be immediately prepared, giving particular directions as to 
the proportions of its several aromatic ingredients; held it 
with his own hand to the lips of his patient, and insisted upon 
her sipping the fragrant restorative ; and then lifted her in his 
arms to the nearest state-room, where he gently deposited the 
still languid and almost unconscious sufferer upon the rude couch 
prepared for her. None but a brute, or a philosopher, could 
think of leaving a woman to die, by herself — our lieutenant 
was neither, but, on the contrary, as tender-hearted and benevo- 
lent a human beins; as ever lived. 



COMMODORE BARNES". 



105 



After a squally and boisterous night, which rendered the pas- 
sage across the channel extremely unconifortable, except to 
those accustomed to the sea, the packet reached Ostend soon 
after breakfast the next morning. As our wanderer had no bag- 
gage to hunt up, he of course kept aloof from the bustle and 
confusion among the passengers, and was at liberty to continue 
his kind attentions to the sick lady ; who, though somewhat re- 
covered, was evidently still laboring under extreme debility and 
langour. By his advice, she remained quiet in the cabin, until 
the passengers had all landed, and then with the assistance of 
his arm — without which it was plain she could not have walk- 
ed — mounted the deck and descended upon the quay. The 
elegant equipage, which had so much excited bis curiosity the 
evening before, but which had been entirely forgotten in subse- 
quent events, was drawn up, apparently in waiting for its owner ; 
and he was beginning again to wonder to whom it could belong, 
when his companion — whose voice he had hitherto heard only 
m feeble and broken monosyllables — spoke to one of the attend- 
ants, in French, and then turning to him, invited him to take 
a seat with her to the hotel, where she would endeavor to thank 
him for his very great kindness, and professional advice ! — 
He bowed, handed her into the carriage, and took the offered 
seat beside her. She had mistaken him for a physician ! — was 
it any wonder? — but his pride was hurt, and his vanity morti- 
fied, and he lost no time in undeceiving her as to the nature of 
his profession: — he was no medical man, but an American 
naval officer — ' every inch a sailor !' The lady appeared a 
little embarrassed — she had been acepting his services, without 
scruple, under the impression that they might be compensated 
by the offer of her purse — she was sorry — that is, she was 
glad — in short, would the Captain do her the honor to take 
his dinner with her at the hotel ? 

The traveller who cannot make up his mind to the rough and 
the smooth of his road, bearing the one with equanimity, and 
taking the other as a ' good, the gods provide,' ought to stay at 
home — it is certain he is not born to be a ' hero,' and it may 
be doubted whether he can be a good christian. — During the 
dinner, the lady communicated to the ' captain' just so nnich of 
her story as served to exciie, rather than to allay, curiosity — 
she was an Italian — had been residing for several years in Lon- 
don — and was now on her way to Tuiin,iia Bruges and Brus- 
sels, at which last place she expected to meet a 'certain indi- 
vidual,' by whom her further progress would be directed : — If 
the ' captain's,' intended journey lay anywhere in the proximity 



106 



MEMOIR OF 



of this route, it would give her great pleasure if he would ac- 
cept the vacant seat in her carriage — as he was a stranger in 
the country, perhaps he might find her acquaintance with the road 
a convenience lo him. — This proposition was made in so mod- 
est and delicate a manner, that the most malicious would have 
found it difficult to give an improper construction to the motive, 
and tlie most egregious vanity could have seen in it nothing but 
a grateful desire to repay an obligation of courtesy. Need we 
say, tliat Lieutenant Barney accepted the agreeable offer, and 
that he was quite enough a man ofthe world to perceive at once, 
that in doing so, he was receiving a much higher favor than he 
conferred. The party being arranged, they set out immediate- 
ly alter dinner, and arrived at Bruges the same evening : here 
the lady was waited upon by a gentleman in the uniform of an 
Austrian general, and an animated conversation was carried on 
between them for half an hour, in the presence of her travelling 
companion, but in the Italian language, which she had previous- 
ly ascertained he did not understand. The next morning at an 
early hour, the same gentleman called again, placed a large seal- 
ed |>acket in the hands ofthe lady, and remained in her company 
until the moment of departure. Every step of their subse- 
quent journey tended to thicken the veil of mystery in which 
this fair incognita was wrapped — that she was a lady of high 
rank, the number of her attendants, the richness of their equip- 
ments, and above all the profound deference paid her by the 
Austrian general, sufficiently declared ; but who ? or what ? — 
was beyond all the ingenuity of one who had so strangely become 
her fellow-traveller to discover. She continued to treat ' Mon- 
sieur Capitaine,' as she called him, with marked attention, and 
unremitted efforts to keep him amused, by her spirited remarks 
upon the scenery and people as they drove rapidly along the 
level roads ; but there was at times an air of protective conde- 
scension in her manners, not at all flattering to the pride of our 
countryman. At Brussels the mystery assumed a still deeper 
shade, and ihe curiosity of Lieutenant Barney was raised toils 
utmost height — it was here that the lady had expected to meet 
a ' certain individual,' by whom her future movements would be 
directed. Whether that individual had not arrived when the 
party reached Brussels, or whether any obstacle existed to pre- 
vent the lady from immediately profiting by his presence, she 
made known her determination to rem;i:i here some days to 
repose : on the third day, she invited the ' captain' to attend her on 
a visit, which it became necessary for her, as she said, to make 
to a ' certain hotel' — nunquam non paratus was a distinguish- 



COMMODORE BARNEY. 107 

ing trait in the character of Barney — they set out immediately 
on foot, and after traversing several streets, stopped before a 
noble mansion : — the lady handed a paper to the porter, and 
in less than a minute afterwards, they were both usliered into 
the presence of the Emperor Joseph, of Austria ! The aston- 
ishment of the lieutenant was unbounded, when the lady present- 
ed him as an American officer, who had been serviceable to her 
on the road. — Joseph said something to him, but what it was, 
he neither heard nor understood, and immediately afterwards 
taking the lady by the hand, led her into an adjoining room, 
where they remained closeted for fifteen or twenty niinutes. — 
Barney, in the meantime, being left standing in the audience cham- 
ber, with sundry big whiskered Germans and spruce Italians, who 
eyed him with a stare of surprise at least equal to his own. On 
the reentrance of the lady, who came back alone, they returned 
to their hotel. On the way, his mysterious companion caution- 
ed him, that it was the emperor's pleasure to be travelling in- 
cognito, and that she had undertaken to promise for him, invio- 
lable secrecy, while he remained in the Austrian dominions, as 
to his having seen His Imperial Majesty at Brussels. Siie then 
announced her intention of departing immediately for Italy, 
expressed some polite regrets that she should be compelled to 
lose the company of so agreeable a fellow-traveller — and made 
her adieu pour jamais ! Barney never saw or heard of her 
afterwards : it was evident the lady had been employed in some 
political intrigue ; but its nature, object, or issue, he was fated 
never to comprehend. 

After a stay of five days at Brussels, Lieutenant Barney re- 
sumed his journey, and travelling through Antwerp, Rotterdam, 
and the Hague — at which last place he stopped just long 
enough to gratify his desire of seeing the Prince of Orange, the 
stadtholder — arrived at Amsterdam. Mr John Adams, the 
Minister Plenipotentiary from the United States to Holland, 
was at this place, and Barney seized the opportunity of paying 
his respects to his distinguished countryman. His name was not 
unknown to Mr Adams, who received him with his character- 
istic urbanity, and gratified the lieutenant by leading him into a 
full recital of his adventures after his capture by the Intrepid, in 
many parts of which the minister interrupted him with the most 
flattering compliments to his bravery and presence of mind. 
From Mr Adams, Barney received the information that there 
was an American frigate then at Amsterdam, to sail in a few 
days for the United States; and upon his expressing a wish 
that he could take passage in her home, Mr Adams at once 



108 



MEMOIR OP 



gave him a note to her commander, Commodore Gillon, re- 
questing the favor for him. He found the frigate lying at the 
Texel, and one of the finest of her class he had ever seen in 
any part of the world — she mounted 28 long fortytwo pound- 
ers on her main deck, and 16 long twelves on her forecastle 
and quarler-deck, and had on board 550 men : she was called 
the South Carolina, and was the property of the State of South 
Carolina. Commodore Gillon very politely promised Mr Bar- 
ney a passage, but informed him it would be still some weeks 
before he could be ready to sail. As, even with this de- 
lay, he would probably reach home sooner — and certainly 
safer — than by any other channel, he determined to wait for 
her, and to employ the interval in such amusements as he could 
find among ihe numerous strangers then at this great commer- 
cial mart. It was now that he first began to find his knovv- 
ledge of the French language useful to him — it introduced 
him to an agreeable circle of society, in which he formed 
many acquaintances that proved of essential benefit to him in 
his after connexion with the French Republic. He strove hard 
to gain some knowledge of the Dutch language also, during 
the short periods of his disengagement from more agreeable 
enployment ; but his utm ;st efforts carried him no further than 
the acquisition of a few common phrases of salutation, or of 
execration — which he used sometimes to let ofif, by way of 
smoothing a good, round, intelUgibh, English oath ! 

In July, 1781, he was informed that the South Carolina 
was ready to leave the Texel, and went on board. He was so 
enamoured of this fine ship — the beauty of her model, fhe 
symmetry of her proportions, the powerful strength of her bat- 
tery — that he would willingly have compounded with fate, to 
close his earthly career at the end of the war, provided he 
could command her with a ' roving commission' during its 
continuance. It was not until the frigate had been some time 
at sea, that Barney found out it was not the intention of her 
commander to proceed directly to the United States, but to sail 
* North about,' as it is called — that is, by tlie Orkneys, and 
around Scotland and Ireland : it was too late then to complain 
of being deceived, but he determined, on the first opportunity, 
to leave the ship and to seek some more direct conveyance. 
They cruised along the coast of Scotland and Ireland for sev- 
eral weeks without encountering anything in the garb of an 
enemy, until at length, off the last mentioned island, they met 
with a privateer brig, and captured her. The South Carolina 
then proceeded to Corunna, in Spain, and here Lieutenant Bar- 



COMMODORE BARNEV. 109 

ney, and several other passengers on board, who had been equal- 
ly disappointed in the destination of the ship, left her. At 
Corunna, he was fortunate enough to find a privateer ship be- 
longing to Massachusetts, called the ' Cicero,' the commander 
of which, Captain Hill, very readily agreed to give him a pas- 
sage, but informed him that he would be under the necessity of 
proceeding to Bilboa before his return home. Even this was 
considered better than the uncertain prolongation of the fri- 
gate's cruise, and he closed at once with Captain Hill's offer. 

The Cicero, in her outward passage, had captured several 
valuable prizes, which had been sent into Bilboa ; and the ob- 
ject of her touching at this port, was to receive the proceeds of 
their sale, and complete her cargo. Having accomplished this 
purpose, the Cicero sailed from Bilboa about the beginning of 
November, and after a cold, stormy, tedious, and uneventful 
passage, arrived at Beverly, in Massachusetts, late in Decem- 
ber. 

The name of Lieutenant Barney was honorably known at Bev- 
erly ; and he had scarcely time to get himself comfoi'tably lodg- 
ed on shore, through the kindness of Captain Hill, before he re- 
ceived an offer from the Messrs Cabot, merchants of the highest 
respectability and standing, of the command of their privateer 
ship, a fine, vvell equipped vessel, mounting 20 guns, with the 
privilege of choosing his own cruising ground. So unexpected an 
offer, and one carrying with it such honorable evidence of the 
reputation he enjoyed among his countrymen, it may be well 
imagined, was in the highest degree gratifying to the laudable 
pride of our lieutenant ; the temptation was great but there was 
a siill more powerful one at Philadelphia — a young wife, and 
all the tender endearments connected with the name. He had 
been married but a few short months, when he was called to 
his station on board the Saratoga, and he had now been absent 
more than eighteen months, without even the consolation of 
having once heard during all that time one word to assure him 
of the health and welfare of the loved one ! Could he leave 
his country again, to be the sport of treacherous fortune, be- 
fore he had clasped her to his arms, and told her that he still 
loved and lived for her ! It was impossible : ambitious as he 
was, and proud of commanding, he had the resolution to refuse 

— but with a deep and indelible sense of gratitude to the 
Messrs Cabot, for this signal mark of their confidence in him. 

— Are there any among our readers so exclusively martini and 
heroic in their dispositions as to find cause of censure in this 
determination of Lieutenant Barney ? If there be, we frankly 

10 



110 MEMOIR OP 

confess we despair of being able to frame an apology that 
might not bring ourselves into the same reproach, for the im- 
measurable preference we entertain for one single trait of nat- 
ural feeling, over all the belligerent virtues that ever graced a 
' hero.' 

Having thus resolved — much to his honor, we cannot help 
adding — to pay a visit to his family, before he again embarked 
in any enterprise, (unless at command of his country which he 
would have obeyed at any sacrifice,) he sat out from the hospita- 
ble. town of Beverly, and travelled through Salem, to 
1782 Boston. On the night of his arrival at the latter place, 
a snow-storm commenced, which continued for several 
days, and covered the roads to such a depth as to interrupt all 
the ordinary modes of travelling : he was in consequence com- 
pelled to remain here for several weeks. Very much to the 
relief of this unwilling detention, he soon discovered that he was 
no stranger in Boston, as he had believed himself — ■ for on 
the day after his arrival he was agreeably surprised to meet with 
two or three of his fellow-sufFerers, who, like himself, had been 
fortunate enough to effect their escape from Mill Prison: the 
recognition was mutual, and the joy of the meeting may be con- 
ceived — a thousand questions were to be reciprocally put and 
answered, and the friends of course ' made a night of it' : — if 
our readers wish this phrase to be interpreted, we refer them 
to any sexagenary in this neighborhood who has a recollection 
of the times ' that tried men's souls,' and we have no doubt be 
will be able to furnish the necessary gloss. By these brother 
officers. Lieutenant Barney was in a little while introduced to 
* every body worth knowing' in Boston, and his time passed 
with as little of the tedeum vitcc as ever annoyed a young, loving 
husband on the road to his wife, after so long a separation. He 
was everywhere received with kindness and treated as a friend ; 
and the recollection of Boston and its inhabitants lived in his 
heart, in ever verdant freshness, to the last moment of his ex- 
istence. Those sturdy patriots, John Hancock and Samuel 
Adams — names which next to that of Washington he venerated 
more than any in the long catalogue of our revolutionary 
worthies — paid him the honor of their especial notice and most 
flattering civilities. To be taken familiarly by the hand, and 
treated kindly by such men, was indeed an honor, of which the 
proudest in our land might be still prouder to be able to boast. 

It was at length proposed to him, by a gentleman who was 
as anxious as himself to get on to Philadelphia, that they should 
club their purses and hire a * sleigh,^ as there seemed to be no 



COMMODORE BARNEY. 



Ill 



prospect of the road's becoming practicable for carriages until 
the breaking up of the winter — the proposition was gladly ^em- 
braced, and the two gentlemen, having effected a negotiation 
with the owner of one of these vehicles and a pair of good 
strong horses, commenced their sonihern journey. They were 
obliged to travel very slowly ; but everywhere through the New 
England States, their entertainment was so kind and hospitable, 
that they were scarcely permitted to feel any of the inconven- 
iences of their long and tedious road. Tlieir ' sleigh'' served 
them until they reached Princeton, in the Jerseys ; but here a 
continued rain of several days so completely carried away the 
snow, that they found it necessary to abandon their Boston 
bargain, and hire a carriage with wheels — leaving the honest 
Yankee to those resources which never yet deserted one of 
the name in a time of need. 

On the 21st of March, 1782, Lieutenant Barney had the 
happiness to fold once more in his embrace his beloved, delight- 
ed, and still blooming wife, after a separation of more than 
eighteen months, during which he had experienced all the 
vicissitudes of wayward fortune in her extremes of change. 
To add to his present felicity, his blushing wife presented to 
him a young stranger, already able to lisp those earliest en- 
dearing, heart-touching monosyllables, ' Ma! ' — ' Pa ! ' — 
The happiness of our returned wanderer was too great for utter- 
ance — he clasped the dear pledge to his full boson), and ihe big 
drop of unspeakable ecstasy fell upon the cheek of the smiling 
boy. What a moment of rapture for the yoimg mother ! — But 
such a scene is too hallowed to be lightly touched — and we 
leave the picture to the hearts of our readers. 



CHAPTER X. 

The Command of the Pennsylvania state ship Hyder-Ally is offered to Barney: 
— he accepts it — rapidity with which he fits her out — he sails down the 
Delaware to convoy a fleet of merchantmen ; — meets the enemy at the 
Capes : — battle with the General Monk — he captures her in 26 minutes: — 
saves his convoy, and returns to Philadelphia — Anecdotes of the battle — 
coolness of the' Bucks County men' : — his reception in the city. — The Leg- 
islature of Pennsylvania votes him a sword. — 'I'he General Monk converted 
into a Packet' — her name changed to the 'General Washington:' — the 
command of her is given to her captor. — lie sails for the West Indies on an 
important expedition — convoys a fle* t as far as the Capes — the enemy there 
induce the convoy to return . — he gets to sea by skilful manoeuvring: — en- 
gagement with an English Privateer. — Anecdote of James H. Mc i 'uUoch. 
— Arrival at Cape Francois: — state of the combined fleets of France and 
Spain. — He sails for the Havanna with an escort : — receives a Iwrge sum 
of money on bo;ird, and returns to the Delaware — incident- of the voyage : — 
captures a number of Refugee Barges in the Bay : — finds the convoy he had 
left still there: — their laughable mistake of his character. — Remaiks on 
the <nm of his ship — his crew. — Arrival at Philadelphia — his reception 
by Mr Morris. 

At the period of Lieutenant Barney's return to his family, 
the Delaware Bay and River were infested by numerous 're- 
fugee barges and privateers,' which were commiiting the most ex- 
tensive depredations, not only upon the commerce of Philadel- 
phia, but upon the peaceable inhabitants along the shores of 
every accessible stream that emptied into these wateis. In 
order to drive off these plunderers — who were protected by 
the presence of several of His Majesty's ships — and to offer 
that assistance to their distressed citizens, which it was not in the 
power of the general government to afford, the state of Penn- 
sylvania had determined to fit out, at its own expense, a number 
of armed vessels, the operations of which w^re to be confined 
within the great thoroughfare to their capital. Five days after 
Lieutenant Barney's arrival at Philadelphia, he was honored 
with the offer of the command ofoneofthe vessels to be equip- 
ped — a small ship, mounting 16 six-pounders, and carrying 
110 men, called the ' Hyder-Ally.'* He did not, as may be 

* See Appendix, No. I. 



MEMOIR OF COMMODORE BARiNEV. 113 

supposed, hesitate one moment to accept the command, and to 
place himself at the disposal of the state authorities, from whom he 
had received so many marks of kindness. — He entered immedi- 
ately upon the duties of the command — the ship was to be vet 
equipped and manned, hut witl) active superintendence and will- 
ing hands this is an affair tliat may be soon despatched. On the 
8th of April, 1782 — only eiglneen days after the happy reu- 
nion with bis family, and thirteen after he took the command — 
the Hyder-Ally was ready to proceed on her destined service. 
The instructions under which Captain Barney acted were very 
plain and circuaiscribed — he was to convoy a fleet of merchant- 
men to the capes, but oii no account to proceed to sea ; it 
being the intention of the state simply to protect its own people, 
within its own waters, and chiefly from tlie annoyance of the 
* refugee boats.' The convoy dropped down to Cape May 
road ; and while lying there, waiting for a fair wind to take theui 
to sea, two ships and a brig were discovered standing for them. 
Captain Barney, perceiving them to be a part of tlie enemy's 
force, made the signals to his convoy to get under way immedi- 
ately and return up the Bay — orders which they were not slow 
in obeying, with the exception of one ship, which was armed ; 
and her commander veiy gallantly determi .ed to abide the issue 
— he hailed Captain Barney, therefore, and made known his 
intention, in case of an engagement, ' to stick by him !' — a prom- 
ise, by the way, which, we might as well say at once, he prevent- 
ed himself from redeeming by running his ship aground on the 
Cape May shore, in his eagerness to get to sea as soon as the 
action commenced ; in this situation, his crew jumped ashore 
from the end of the jib-boom and made their escape, and the 
ship fell into the enemy's hands. 

Captain Barney kept astern of his convoy, watching the mt)- 
tions of the enemy with all the eagerness and anxiety natural to 
so important a trust — he saw that the brig and one of tlie ships 
were following him into the Cape May cliannel, while the other 
ship (a frigate) was manoeuvring to run ahead by the other 
channel and thus cut off the progress of the convoy up the bay. 
His only hope for the safety of his convoy was, that the enemy 
would first direct their attention to him, and that by a desperate 
resistance he might employ them long enough to allow time for 
his charge to get beyond their pursuit. For this purpose he 
would willingly have engaged the whole of the enemy's force 
at once, and if he had had a thousand lives, would have rated 
them all as nothing, if by their sacrifice he could gain for his 
convoy the advantage of one hour's start. — The brig was the 
10* 



114 



MEMOIR OF 



first to come up with him, but it soon became evident that k 
was not her design to risk an engagement alone — she gave him 
a broadside as she came up, and passed on. Captain Barney 
did not return the fire, determining to reserve his strength for 
the ship which was coming up rapidly — she approached within 
pistol-shot without firing, probably under the impression that her 
unequal foe would not venture to make battle: at this moment, 
however, the Hyder-Ally opened her ports and gave a well-di- 
rected broadside, v/hich spoke her determination in a language 
not to be misunderstood. The enemy closed upon her imme- 
diately, and showed a disposition to board : at this critical junc- 
ture Captain Barney had the coolness and presence of mind to 
conceive, and execute on the instant, a ruse de guerre, to which he 
was unquestionably indebted for the brilliant victory that so 
speedily followed — he gave orders to the man at the helm to 
interpret the next command he should give him aloud d revers,- 
or in his own words to the seamen, ' by the rule of contrary.* 
At the moment that the enemy was ranging along side of him — 
a position which must have given him the full advantage of his 
great superiority of strength — Captain Barney called out, in a 
voice intended to reach the adverse ship, ' Hard a-port your 
helm — do you want him to run aboard of us.-" Tlie ready- 
witted sean)an understood his cue, and clapped his helm hard 
n-stnrbonrd, by which admirable manoeuvre the enemy'sjibboom 
caught in the fore-rigging of the Hyder Ally, and there remain- 
ed entangled during the short but glorious action that ensued. 
The Hyder-Ally thus gained a raking position, of which she 
availed herself to its utmost benefit: the rapidity, well dii-ected 
aim, and vigorous effect, with which she poured her fire into 
the entangled ship, are almost inconceivable — more than twentif 
broadsides were fired in twentijsix minutes, and scarcely a shot 
missed its effect ; entering in at the starboard bow, and making 
their way out through the larboard quarter, the grape, cannister, 
and round shot, all did their appointed duty ! Such energy of 
action could not long be withstood ; and in less than half an hour 
from the firing of ihe first broadside, the British flag waved its 
proud folds no longer to the breeze. There was no time for 
ceremony on board the Hyder-Ally — the frigate was but a litde 
way astern, and coming rapidly up — Captain Barney did not 
even ask what ship it was that had thus acknowledged him master ; 
but sending his first lieutenant and thirtyfive men on board, he or- 
dered hertomake all sail and push up the bay, after the convoy, 
while he h'msel ' covered the rear. The brig, seeing that the ship 
had struck, and that the victor was standing up the channel towards 



COMMODORE BARNEY. 



115 



her, ran herself aground to avoid capture. — It would be ridicu- 
lous to assert, that Captain Barney was desirous of a brush with 
the frigate ; but he maintained the ' even tenor of his way,' far 
in the rear of his prize, and the still more distant convoy, deter- 
mined not to let her pass to the pursuit of either without, at least, 
attempting to delay her for a few minutes. The frigate continu- 
ed the chase for a considerable distance up the bay, but at 
length, towards evening, gave it up and dropped her anchor, 
making a signal, as she did so, to the prize ship, wliicii she did 
not of course suspect to be under other orders — no doubt be- 
lieving that, having taken the American, she was now working 
her will among the defenceless convoy ! 

It was not until after the frigate abandoned the chase and 
came to anchor, that Captain Barney permitted himself to grat- 
ify the curiosity, which it was but natural he should feel, as to 
the name, character, and force of his prize. He now spoke 
her for this purpose ; and we may imagine the exuberance of 
delight and gratified pride, with which he ascertained her to be 
His Majesty's ship, the General Monk, mounting 20 nine 
pounders, and carrying one hundred and tkirtysix men, under 
the command of Captain Rodgers of the Royal Navy ! nearly 
double his own force of metal, and nearly one fourth superior 
in number of men ! It was one of the most brilliant achieve- 
ments ever recorded in the annals of naval warfare, and a 
victory of which he miglit well be proud. But no man ever 
bore such honors more meekly than Captain Barney; he 
rejoiced in his success, but it was more because it had insured 
the safety of the valuable fleet entrusted to his convoy, than 
because of any anticipation that it would encircle liis own brow 
with a never-dying wreath of glory. — Prompted by that ever- 
ready humanity, which so honorably characterized his treat- 
ment of a conquered foe — though he had experienced so 
little of it in bis own person — he inquired immediateh' into 
the sufferings of the crew, and heard with regret, that the Gen- 
eral Monk had lost 20 men, killed, and had 33 wounded. 
Among the former were the First Lieutenant, Piu'ser, Suro;eon, 
Boatswain and Gunner — among the latter were Captain Rod- 
gers himself, and every officer on board except one midship- 
man ! The Hyder Ally had four men killed, and eleven 
wounded — a comparative disparity of loss even greater thaa 
the inverse disparity of force. * 

* See Appendix, No. II. for the enemy''s account of the battle, called a 
* modest* one ! 



116 



MEMOIR OP 



We mention as an extraordinary evidence of the vigorous 
attack of the Hyder-Ally, that in the mizen-stay-sail of the 
General Monk, (which sailors well know to be of but small 
dimensions) there were counted exactly three hundred and 
sixiijfive shot holes 1 It was looked upon as so great a curi- 
osity, that one of the principal sail-makers of Philadelphia 
afterwards begged it cjf Captain Barney, and made a considera- 
ble sum by exhibiting it in liis sail loft to the curious. 

Many incidents occurred during the heat of this rapid and 
vigorous action which are well worthy of notice : — Cajitain 
Barney, in order that he might the better see all that was going 
on and regulate his movements accordingly, remained standing 
upon the binnacle during the whole action, in the most ex- 
posed point of his quarter-deck, particularly to the fire of the 
musketry from the enemy's tops. On one occasion, a ball 
passed through his hat, just grazing the crown of his head — 
another tore off a part of the skirt of his coat : seeins: himself 
thus the aim of the small arms, he called to Mr ScvJl, his 
marine officer, (vvhose men were all Buclt's County rijlemen, 
who had never before been on board a ship — ) and ordered 
him to direct his fire into the top from which he was so much 
annoyed ; the order was promptly executed, and with such 
good aim that every shot brought down its man. — A few 
minutes after this, one of these brave fellows, who was much 
better acquainted with the use of his rifle than with the rules of 
subordination, called out to Captain Barney, with a coolness of 
tone and familiarity of manner that evinced anything but intend- 
ed disrespect: — 'Captain! do you see that fellow with the 
white hat?^ and firing as he spoke. Captain Barney saw the 
poor fellow ' with the while hat' make a spring at least three 
feet from the deck, and fall to rise no more. ' Captain ! ' con- 
tinned the marksman, ' that 's the third fellow Vve made hop ! ' 
— It is a remarkable fact, highly indicative of the deliberate 
coolness of these Buck's County men, that every man of the 
enemy who was killed by the small arms, was found to have 
been shot in the head or breast — so true and deadly was their 
aim. — While Captain Barney continued standing on the 
binnacle he observed one of his officers, with the cook's axe 
in his hand, in the very act of raising it to cleave the head of 
one of his own men, who had deserted his gun and skulked 
behind the mainmast — at this instant a round shot from the 
enemy struck the binnacle from under his feet and he fell upon - 
the deck; the officer, seeing his captain fall, and naturally sup- 
posing that he was wounded, threw down the axe and ran to 



COMMODORE BARNEy. 1 17 

his assistance, but by the time he reached the spot Captain 
Barney had recovered his feet, unhurt — and the officer very 
deliberately picked up tlie axe again to execute his purpose 
upon the head of the coward : he found him now fighting as 
bold and fearlessly as the bravest of the crew ! — Joseph Bed- 
ford, a brother of Captain Barney's wife, was a volunteer in 
the Hyder-Aliy, and behaved with great gallantry : he was 
stationed in the main-top, and received a severe wound in the 
groin, the effects of which he never entirely recovered ; but it 
is worthy of remark, as an extraordmary circumstance, that he 
did not feel his wound, or know that he was hurt, until he had 
descended from the top, upon deck, after the action was over — 
he then fell, exhausted from the loss of blood, and was carried 
below. * 

The action was so vigorously rapid and short, and its result 
so little expected on the part of the adversary, that he had 
either not time, or not sufficient presence of mind, to think of 
destroying his book of signals — an oversight of which Captain 
Barney quickly availed himself; and it was probably owing to 
this circumstance that the frigate (the Quebec) so soon discon- 
tinued the chase and anchored. Immediately after the action, 
he ordered the British flag to be rehoisted on board the Gen- 
eral Monk, and his own to be hauled down on board ihe Hyder- 
Ally — the Quebec, therefore, had good grounds for believing 
that His Majesty's ship had been victorious. 

It gives us no pleasure to turn from these little anecdotes, so 
characteristic of American courage and coolness in the midst of 
danger, to record one of a very different character. — When 
Captain Barney's first lieutenant went on board to take pos- 
session of the General Monk, after her surrender, the British 
captain, in his presence, ordered one of his attendants to bring 
him up his fowling-piece from the cabin — a very splendid 
silver-mounted fusil — which, when it was put into his hands, 
he threw overboard, saying as he did so, ' This shall never be- 
come the property of any d — d rebel ! ' j- — It was a con- 
temptible act of littleness, of passionate mortification, which 
is only paralleled by that of the man who, according to the 
children's fable, ' hit his own nose off to spite his face' ! He 
might have saved his honor, and his fusil into the bargain ; for 
not one of the ' d — d rebels' would have desired to deprive 
him of this favorite piece of property. 

*See Appendix, No. III. for some additional anecdotes of the battle. 
tSee Appendix, No. IV. 



118 



MEMOIR OF 



At Chester, on the Delawarej Captain Barney left his own 
ship, and proceeded in his prize to Philadelphia, that he might 
himself see the wounded prisoners properly cared for : he pro- 
cured the most comfortable and respectable lodgings for Cap- 
tain Rodgers, in the house of a Quaker lady, who nursed him 
through his whole confinement with the kindness and tender- 
ness of a sister: — this lady is still living (November, 1831) 
in Pine-street, Philadelphia, and remembers the great solicitude 
of Captain Barney for the comfort and welfare of his captive. 
— Having attended to this duty, he ran home for a single mo- 
ment to snatch a kiss from his wife and boy, and returned im- 
mediately to Chester, without waiting to receive any of the 
cheers and congratulations with which the citizens were ready to 
greet him on every side. H s whole convoy had returned in 
safety, with the exception of the ship already mentioned, and a 
brig which unfortunately got ashore on the Over-falls. From 
Chester, he proceeded again down the Bay, for the purpose of 
ascertaining the prospect of getting his convoy to sea. In the 
course of the trip he captured a refugee schooner, called the 
' Hook 'ew Snivey,^ and meeting with nothing else in the Bay, 
he returned once more to Philadelphia, to enjoy the triumphs 
prepared for him. The capture of the General Monk and the 
Hook 'em Snivey, struck a panic into the refugees, which 
prevented them for a long time afterwards from trusting any of 
their barges on the Delaware. The Legislature of Pennsyl- 
vania passed a vote of thanks to Captain Barney, and ordered 
a gold-hiked sword to be prepared, which was afterwards pre- 
sented to him, in the name of the State, by Governor Dickin- 
son. It was a small sword, with mountings oi chased gold — 
the guard of which, on the one side had a representation of the 
Hyder-Ally, and on the other the General Monk, the sails of 
each ship set as in the action — the latter ship in the act of 
striking her flag. Their hulls, sails, masts, spars and rigging, 
were all beautifully delineated by the artist, in open work, re- 
sembling the ivory fans of the Chinese.* 

Ballads were made u|)on the brilliant victory and sung through 
the streets of Philadelphia,! and the name of the gallant Bar- 
ney was in every mouth, ' familiar as household words.' 

* See Appendix, No V. 

t As many of our readers may never have had an opportunity of seeing 
how such things were managed in ' <lays of old,' we copy for their amuse- 
ment, from an old volume of' Freneau's Poems ' published in 1786, the 
followinu; songs, composed on the occasion byour revolutionary Poet Laureat. 
Their deficiencies in harmony and poetical merit, will be readily forgiven. 



COMMODORE BARNEY. '^ 119 

At the sale of the General Monk, which was made very soon 
after her capture, the United States became the purchasers ; 

for the spirit of patriotisin and liberty that breathes through every line. 
The first, it appears, was written while the Hyder-AUy was being; fitted 
out, and there can be no doubt that it produced itsetFect in enabling Captain" 
Barney to fill up his crew in so short a time. 

' THE sailor's invitation.' 

Come, all ye lads liiat know no fear. 
To wealth and honor we will steer 
In the Hyder-Ally Priva'eer, 
Commanded by bold Barney. 

She 's new and true and tinht and sound, 
Well rigg'd aloft and all well found — 
Come and be with laurel crown'd — 
Away and leave your lasses! 

Accept our terms without delay. 
And make your fortunes while you may — 
Such offers are not every day 
In the power of the jolly sailor. 

Success and fame attend the brave, 
But death the coward and the slave — 
Who fears to plouoh tne Atlantic wave 
To seek out bold invaders ? 

Come then and take a cruising bout — 
Our ship sails well, there is no doubt; 
She has been tried both in and out, 
And answers expectation. 

Let no proud foes that Britain bore 
Distress our trade, insult our shore — 
Teach them to know their reign is o'er, 
Bold Philadelphia sailors ! 

We'll teach them how to sail so near. 
Or venture on the Delaware, 
When we in wwrlike trim appear, 
And cruisj without Henlopen. 

Who cannot wounds and battle dare, 
Shall never clasp the blooming fair; 
The brave alone their charms shall share. 
The brave, and their protectors ! 

With hand and heart united all 
Prepared to conqueror to fall. 
Attend, my lads! to honor's call — 
Embark in our Hyder-Ally ! 

From an Eastern Prince she takes hername, 
Who, smit with freedom's sacred dame. 
Usurping Britons brought to shame, 
His country's wrongs avenging. • 



120 



MEMOIR OP 



her name was changed to that of the General Washington; 
and through the interest of JVIr Robert Morris — one of his 

See on her stern the brilliant stars — 
Inured to blood, inured to wars, 
Come enter quick, my jolly tars, 
To scourge these haughty Britons! 

Here 's grop; enough ! then drink a bout! 
I know your hearts are fiim and stout ; 
American blood will ne'er give out — 
And often we have proved it ! 

Though stormy oceans round us roll. 
We'll keep a firm undaunted soul, 
Befriended by the cheering bowl. 
Sworn foes to melancholy ! 

While timorous landsmen lurk on shore, 
'Tis ours to go wheie cannons roar — 
On a coasting cruise we"ll go once more, 
Despisers of all danger — 

And fortune still, that crowns the brave 
Shall guard us o'er the gloomy wave — / 

A fearful heart betrays akna\e ! 
Success to the Hyder-Ally I 

The next was written a few days afier the battle, and is entitled a * Song 
on Captain Barney's victory ovei the ^hip General Monk.' We regret, that 
it is not in our power to indicate the music to which these ballads were sung 
— all our endeavors have failed to rescue it from the ' tomb of the 
Capulets' ! — 

SONG, he. 

O'er the waste of waters cruising, 

Long the Geneiai Monk had reign'd, 
All subduing, all i educing — 

None her lawless lage restrain'd ! 
Many a brave and hearty fellow. 

Yielding to this warlike foe. 
When her guns began to bellow, 

Struck his bumbled colors low ! 

But grown bold with long successes. 

Leaving the wide wat'ry way, 
She, a stranger to distresses, 

Came to cruise within Cape iVTay: — • 
' Now we soon' (said Caplain Rogers) 

' Shall the men of commerce meet ; 
1 In our hold we'll have them lodgers — 

We shall capture half their fleet. 

•Lo! I see their van appearing — 

Back our topsails to the mast — 
They toward us full are steering 

With a gentle western blast : 
I've a list of all tht ir cai ^oes, ■. 

All their guns, and all their men ! 
I am sure these modern Argos' 

Can't escape us, one in ten : — 



COMMODORE BARNEY. 



121 



earliest and latest friends — the command of her was given to 
Captain Barney, by whose unwearied industry and exertions, 

' Yonder comes the " Charming Sally," 

Sai inoj with the " General Greene" — 
First we'll fight the Hyder-Ally — 

Taking her, is taking them : 
She intends to give us battle ! 

Bearing down with all her sail ! 
Now boys ! let our cannon rattle ! . 

To take her, we cannot fail. — 

' Our twenty guns, each a nine-pounder, 

Soon shall terrify this foe ; 
We shall maul her, we shall wound her, 

Brinoring rebel colors low ! ' 
While he thus anticipated 

Conquests that he could not gain. 
He, in t!ie Cape May channel waited. 

For the ship that caused his pain. 

Captain Barney then preparing. 

Thus address'd his gallant crew. 
' Now, brave lads! be bold and daring ! 

Let your hearts be firm and true ! 
This is a proud English cruiser. 

Roving up and down the main : 
We must fight her — must reduce her, 

Tho' our decks be strew'd with slain. 

' Let who will be the survivor, 

We must conquer or must die — 
We must take her up the river, 

Whate'er comes of you or I ! — 
Tho' she shows most formidable 

With her twenty pointed nines. 
And her quarters clad in sable — 

Let us balk her proud designs ! 

• We with our sixteen sixes 

Will face the proud and daring band : 
Let no dangers damp your courage. 

Nothing can the brave withstand ! 
Fighting for your country's honor. 

Now to gallant deeds aspire ! 
Helmsman ! bear us down upon her 

Gunner ! give the word to fire ! ' 

Then yard-arm and yard-arm meeting 

Straight began the dismal fray : 
Cannon mouths each other greeting, 

Belch'd their smoky flames away : 
Soon the langrage, grape and chain-shot, 

That from Barney's cannon flew. 
Swept the Monk, and clear'd each round-top, 

Kill'd and wounded half the crew. 

Captain Rogers strove to rally 
His men, from their quarters fled, 
11 



122 MEMOIR OP 

she was soon put in a condition for service.* Sealed instruc- 
tions were put into his hands, with orders not to open them until 

While the roaring Hyder-AUy 

Cover'do'er his decks with dead ! 
When from thair tops, their dead men tumbled 

And the streams of blood did flow, 
Then their proudest hopes were humbled 

By their brave iitferior foe. 

All aghast and all cenfoiinded, 

They beheld their champions fall, 
And their captain sorely wounded, 

Bade them quick for quarters call. 
Then the Monk's pioud flag descended. 

And his cannon ceased to roar — 
By her crew no more defended, 

She confess'd the conquest o'er. 

Come, brave boys, and fill your glasses ! 

You have humbled one proud foe : 
JVo brave action this surpasses .' 

Fame shall tell the nations so — 
Thus be Britain's woes completed ! 

Tiius abridged her cruel reie;n ! 
Till she, ever thus defeated, 

Yields the sceptre of the main ! 

We deem it proper to add, as a part of the history of (Lis brilliant afiair, 
probably not known to a great many of our readers, that a Painting, l)y no 
means destitute of merit — repiesenling the action between the Hyder-Ally 
and the General Monk, was executed in Paris, by order of Conmioriore Car- 
ney, while in the service of the French Republic, and presented by him, 
on his return to the United States, to Eobeit Smith, Esq. then Secretary of 
the Navy : the picture, we believe, now hangs in the Secielary's room. 
The painting was accompanied by a desciiption, in the hand-writing ot Com- 
modore Bainey, of which the following is a copy ; — ' This action took place 
at the entrance of the Delaware Bay, April 8th, 1782. On the leit of the 
painting appears Cape Henlopen light House, and on the right the point of 
Cape May. In the centre are represented the Hyder-Ally and the General 
Monk engaged, the latter in the act of stiiking her colois. The Kyder-Ally 
mounted sixteen guns, six pounders, and had one hundred and ten men, — 
the Monk twenty guns, nine pounders, with one bundled and tbirtysix men; 
the former had four men killed and eleven wounded, the latter twenty kill- 
ed and thiilythree wounded. The action lasted twentysix minutes. The 
frigate in the foreground is the Quebec, which not finding sufficient water 
in the Cape May channel, was obliged to go round the shoals, called the 
Over-falls, in order to get info the Bay, during which time the action took 
place. To the light of the ships engaged, the brig Fair American, of six- 
teen guns, after firing a broad.-ide into the Hyder-Ally in passing her, which 
was not returned, is seen chasing and firing at one of her convoy, which, 
however, escaped under the J^erse y shore. The ship aground on Cape May 
is an American merchantman, one of the convoy, that, in endeavoring to 



* By referring to Appendix, No I. the reader will perceive a slight difler- 
ence in the account there given of this transaction. It is probable the lat- 
ter is the more correct statement, but we did not deem it of suflicient im- 
portance to require the trouble of writing a page over again. 



COMMODORE BARNEY. 



123 



he reached a certain latitude at sea. He sailed from Philadel- 
phia in company with fifteen or sixteen other vessels, all let- 
ters of marque and privateers, bound to sea, or cruisers on 
commercial expeditions, and all under his convoy — so that 
he was now fairly entided to be called ' Commodore' — as, in 
fact, he was, from this period. Upon reaching the Capes, they 
discovered three frigates in the offing, the sight of which so 
alarmed the convoy, that they every one put about and returned 
up the Bay, leaving the Commodore to himself. He manoeu- 
vred so as to keep the frigates at a distance during the day, and 
in the night succeeded in getting out to sea. One of the frig- 
ates gave chase on the following day, but the Washington out- 
sailed her, and soon got beyond pursuit. 

Before we proceed to look at Captain Barney's instructions, 
we cannot in justice omit to call the attention of the reader to 
the extraordinary and almost unexampled celerity of action 
which distinguished every enterprise of this energetic and inde- 
fatigable officer. It was on the 21st of March, 1782, as we 
have seen, that he arrived at home, after an absence of more 
than a year and a half, and a series of alternate suffering and 
romantic adventure more than make up the lives of a dozen 
modern heroes — on the 8th of April, eigliteen days after- 
wards — having in the interval performed the arduous labor of 
equipping and manning the ship — his action took place with 
the General Monk : — an action of twentysix minutes' duration, 
to gain an eternity of fame ! — On the 18th of May, we find 
him again ready for sea, in the captured ship, which in the 
meantime had changed owners, was called the Washington, and 
undergone the most extensive repairs, and the after e(]uipment 
of which he himself had superintended ! — It is possible we 
may attach more credit than it deserves to this promptitude of 
movement ; and that we may err, from a too limited acquain- 
tance witl^ our naval history, in supposing it to have been alto- 
gether unmatched : but it is certain, our reading has supplied 
us with no example, either in our own or any other service, of 
such performances in the same space of time. It was so com- 
mon, however, with Commodore Barney, to labor with heart 
and soul at everything he undertook, that he did not appear 
himself to be conscious there was anything extraordinary in the 

escape by getting; to sea, ran ashore, when the crew abandoned her. The 
brig to the right of the frigate is likewise an American, and one of the con- 
voy ; she got aground on the Over-falls and was taken possession of, after 
some resistance, by an armed boat from the Monk. The vessels at a dis- 
tance, in the back ground, are the convoy of the Hyder-Ally standing up 
the bay. The white water between the frigate and the brig aground, re- 
presents the Over-falls.' 



124 MEMOIR OP 

effects of such ardor, and so little attention did he pay to the 
instances we have just adduced, his journal does not even re- 
cord the dates, by which alone their importance could be judg- 
ed; — and we are indebted to his private orders and letters of 
instruction, for information of the several epochs we have 
thought proper to note. — But, let us return to the progress of 
the narrative. 

The moment Captain Barney was relieved from the appre- 
hension of further pursuit by the frigate, he retired to his cabin 
to break the seal of his instructions.* The private orders he 

* The following is the letter from the Commissioners which accompanied 
the sealed packet. It was received on the day ot its date, and in a few 
hours afterwards, the ship was under way. 

' Philadelphia, I8th May, 1782. 
' Capt. Joshua Barney, 

' Sir, — Immediately on receipt of this, you will take the first prudent op- 
portunity of proceeding to sea with the ship under your command. The 
packet which accompanies this is not to be opened until you get about forty 
leagues to sea, keeping as much to the eastward as circumstances will ad- 
mit, always keeping the packet slung with weights sufficient to sink it in 
case of your falling in with an enemy of superior force; to this matter we 
request you will pay particular attention as the despatches are of the ut- 
most consequence. 

•When you are clear of the land the distance above mentioned, you will 
then open such packages as are directed to yourself, among which you will 
find instructions from The Ilonble. Robert Morris, Superintendent of Fi- 
nance for the United States of Anieiica, whose diiections and orders you 
are as strictly to observe and obey, as if they were from us. 

' We flatter ourselves that eveiy exertion will be used on your part to ren- 
der this business effectual, and should you be lortunate enough to succeed in 
this matter, it cannot fail ot reflecting great honor on yourself 

' Should you be in want of any necessaries or supplies while abroad, you 
■will draw on us for the amount. 

We wish you a great deal of happiness. 
And are, Sir, 
Your most humble servants, 

John Patton-, 
(Signed) Francis Gurney, 

William Allisbone.' 
Letter from the Hon. Robert Mwris to Captain Barney, referred to in the 
above. 

' Marine Office, ISth May, 1782. 

' Sir, — I expect that when you open these instructions, you will be clear 
of the Capes, and I hope with a prospect of escaping from the enemy's 
cruisers: but should you unfortunately be taken, ytu must sink your des- 
patches, which you will keep in readiness for that purpose. You are to 
proceed directly to Cape Francois in Hispaniola, and if the French and 
Spanish fleets should not be there, you must proceed to the place where 
they may be; and when you shall have found them, you are to deliver to 
the French and Spanish admirals the inclosed tetters. I expect, that in 
consequence of these letters, a frigate will be ordered to convoy you to the 
Havana, and thence to America. You will go to the Havana, where you 
will deliver the inclosed letter to Robert Smith, Esquire, Agent for the 
United States at that place. You will also inform all persons concerned in 
the American Trade, that you are bound for such port of the United States 



COMMODOKE BARNEV, 125 

had received frotn the Commissionei-s of the State, had been 
well calculated to excite his curiosity and prepare him to ex- 
pect something ' of the utmost consequence.' He was not at all 
pleased, at first, with the prohibitory clauses of his instructions : 
— to have heen at such pains in equipping a line ship, that was 
after all to trust to her speed rather than to her metal, in the 
event of meeting an enemy, he thought far more degrading than 
complimentary to one who had given some evidence of his ca- 
pacity to deal with a foe ; but when he gave himself time to 
reflect upon the nature and importance of the trust confided to 
him, he felt that his venerable friend Mr Morris, in selecting 
him for such a duty, and, in truth, purchasing his prize-ship for 
the very purpose, had intended to do him the highest honor — 
and he determined- if the most wary prudence, and literal obe- 
dience of his orders, could accomplish the object of his expe- 
dition, he would justify the confidence of his friend, and ' com- 
mand again the applause of his country.' — In addition to the 
precautions which Mr Morris had recommended in his letter, 
be had given to Captain Barney an open letter addressed to the 
commander of the Deane frigate, in which he requested that 
oflicer to ' accompany him in the voyage.' The Deane was 

as you may be able (o make, and you will take on board your ship, on freiirht, 
any moneys wliich they may t])ink proper to ship, but no goods or merchan- 
dize of any kind. For the moneys you are to charge a freicjht of two per 
cent, one lialf of which you shall have, the other is to bo applied towards 
the expense of your voyas;e. If a frio;ate is granted b}' the French adinira 
to convoy you, the captain of her will be instructed by the admiral to re- 
ceive any moneys which it may be thought proper to put on board of him. 
I should suppose that by dividing the risk, or shipping a jiart on board of 
each, there will be gieater safety, than putting all in one bottom. You are 
to stay as short a time as possible at the Havana, and then, in comp;my with 
the frigate, make the best of your way to some port in the United States. 
This poit or Baltimore would be the t)est ; but you m-ist be guided by your 
own discretion on the occasion, tooether with such information as you "may 
be able to procure. It is not improbable that a stronger escort th:in one fri- 
gate may be granted, in which case you will find a greater secuiify ; and a 
division of the money among many, will multiply the chances for receiving 
it. You are. on no account to risk your ship or delay your voyage by chas- 
ing vessels, making prizes, or engaging, unless in the last necessity ; and 
then / am confident you will do your duty, so as to command again the ap- 
jAause of your country. 

I wish you a prosperous voyage, and a speedy return, and am 

Sir, 
Your most obedient servant. 

Robert Morris.' 

• P; S. — Messrs Stephen and Ange Ceronio, at Cape Francois,vvill assist 
you with their advice, and supply what may be wanted for the service of 
your ship, at that Port. Mr Robert Smith " at the Havana, or in case of 
his absence, the person who transacts his business, will do the same at that 
port. R, M.' 

* CAPTAirr Earnf.t.' 

1 1* 



126 



MEMOIR OP 



supposed to be cruising somewliere in the track marked out for 
Captain Burne}^, but as the letter remained in liis possession, 
the probability is that he did not fall in with her. 

Having made himself master of the various matters enribraced. 
in his instructions, Captain Baj'ney steered for Cape Francois, 
in the Island of Hispaniola. Off Turk's Island, he fell in 
with a privateer brig, of 1 6 guns, under enemy's colors, to 
which — as it did not take him out of his course, and there- 
fore couid not ' delay his voyage' — he gave chase : the brig 
finding her attempt to escape impracticable, as the Wasliing- 
lon was the lastest sailer, came to the resolution of making 
battle, and exchanged several broadsides, one of her shot a 
nine pounder, unfortunately passed through the main-mast of 
the General Monk, and another cut away the head of her mizen- 
mast, so that Captain Barney was compelled, even at the 
moment the jjrivateer was hauling down her colors, to bear up 
for the wind in order to save his mast — the privateer took ad- 
vantage of this preventive movement, suddenly hauled her wind, 
and made her escape. Captain Barney lost one man in the skir- 
mish. On the same day he captured an enemy's brig laden 
with rum, which he sent on before him to Cape Francois — 
where he arrived himse.f without further incident. 

We cannot omit to notice here an instance of cool and im- 
perturbable bravery, which excited the particular attention of 
Captain Barney, while preparing to bring his ship into action : 
it was so like his own characterist'c intrepidity, that it won his 
lasting admiration. But even while we have determined to re- 
late it, we tremble lest we should offend the retiring modesty of 
the individual, wh:) was the subject of it, and who still lives to 
take a warm interest in everything that belongs to the history of 
his country : we know his unfeigned dislike of all personal com- 
pliment, and would be the last to offend his delicacy, if we 
were not prompted by a sense of obligation as faithful biogra- 
phers. As soon as Captain Barney found that there would be 
an engagement, he turned to one of his passengers, who was 
calmly walking the deck, and requested him to go below, 
where he would be oj^^ of danger : the gentleman looked at 
him, w'ith a slight curl of indignation moving his upper lip, 
but did not move. Soon afterwards^ in the preparation for 
action, Barney observed him at the arms-chest, deliberately ex- 
amining the muskets, which he took up one after another, 
brought to his shoulder, examined their flints, and snapped to see 
if they made good fire, until at length he found one that seemed 
to please him : he then fixed a cartridge box over his shoulder. 



COMMODORE BARNEY. 



127 



very coolly lied a handkerchief around his head, and was the first 
man that fired into the enemy. During the whole of the fighting 
he look his post in that part of the ship which was most exposed 
to the enemy's fire, and in the very heat of it. his musket hav- 
ing made a false snap, he seated himself with the most perfect 
sang froid upon the arms-chesi, took a knife or key from his 
pocket, and picked his flint until he brought it again to a pro- 
per edge. He fired oftener than any other man on board, and 
looked the whole time as cool and unconcerned as if he had 
been siuing at his own fire side. This was James H. McCul- 
Joch — the same patriot and hero, who met the enemy at North 
Point in 18I4 — was wounded and taken prisoner — now the 
venerable and universally respected collector of the Port of 
Baltimore.* 

Had the recent occurrences in the West Indies been known 
at Philadelphia, while the government of the United States 
were jjlanning the expedition, it is hardly probable its execution 
would have been entrusted to a single shipof twenty guns, with the 
chance of obtaining an escort from the French Admiral ; and it 
must either have been abandoned altogether, or so varied in its 
details, tliat success must have depended rather upon accident 
than upon the good management of the agents employed. We 
may therefore regard it as sometimes an advantage in the oper- 
ations of war, that we are compelled to act in ignorance of the 
enemy's movements. — It was known to he the intention of the 
Count de Grasse, to retire from the position he had for some 
time occupied at Marlinico, to Hispaniola ; and our government 
were not aware of any power in the Caribbean seas that could 
prevent the French Admiral from accomplishins; whatever he 
purposed. Our Spanish allies lay at the latter island, and the 
junction of the two fleets would have placed the British West 
Indies in their hands : the fleet of de Grasse alone was more 
than equal, both m numbers and weight of metal, to the whole 
naval force of Great Britain in the West Indies, increased as it 
had recently been by the union of Sir George Rodney's fleet 
with that of Sir Samuel Hood ; but the French Admiral ihought 
it more prudent to avoid an engagement until he could insure a 
decisive result by joining the Spaniards at Cape Francois. It 
was this prudence on the part of the Count de Grasse that led to 
the destruction of his fleet : had he not, in his anxiety to avoid 
an encounter with the British fleet, chosen a circuitous route from 
Martinico to Hispaniola, and thus run into the very danger he 

* See Appendix, No. VI. 



128 



MEMOIR OP 



wished to shun, he must have formed a junction with the Span-- 
ish allies, before it would have been possible for Sir George 
Rodney, with all his vigilance and activity, to have intercept- 
ed him. But the fates decreed it otherwise. It so happened, 
that on the very day that our gallant friend Barney was earning 
for himself imperishable glory in the Delaware, (the 8th of 
April) the Count de Grasse weighed anchor from Martinico 
upon the expedition which proved so disasti'ous to him ; and 
four days afterwards that memorable engagement took place, 
which lost for France some of the finest ships that ever floated 
the ocean, and gained for Sir George Rodney a British peer- 
age ! _ 

When Car)tain Barney reached Cape Francois, therefore, in- 
stead of finding the Count de Grasse, as he expected, at the 
head of an invincible armada, he found but a (e\v French ships, 
the remnant of the fleet, under JNlonsieur Vaudreuil : the 
Spanish fleet, however, v/as there, entire. He delivered his 
letters to the two commanders, and finding that his skirmish with 
the privateer had destroyed several of his important spars, he ap- 
plied at the same time at the King's Yard for others to replace 
them. Everything he demanded was readily supplied, and in six 
days he reported himself ready again to sail, having in the 
course of that short time put in a new main-mast, mizen-mast 
and main-yard, sold his prize-brig and cargo, which had arrived 
safely two days after himself, and distributed the prize money 
among his crew. — In compliance with the letter of the Ameri- 
can Superintendent of Finance, the French Admiral gave Cap- 
tain Barney an escort, — the EveilUe, £i 64 gun ship — and 
they sailed together for the Havana, where they arrived 
in less than four days — the Washington keeping the lead all 
the way, to pilot the French captain, who was completely un- 
acquainted with the navigation through the old Bahama straits. 
On reaching Havana, he found that an embargo had been laid 
on the American shipping there foin- months before ; and after 
delivering his letters to the American agent, Mr Robert Smith, 
he made apj)iication to the Governor to raise his embargo and 
permit the American vessels to depart with him for the United 
States — a measure which that officer could have no motive for 
refusing. He remained at Havana six days, in which time 
he received on board his ship about six hundred thousand 
dollars in specie, belonging to private individuals of the 
United Slates, and in obedience to his instructions, he then 
weighed anchor lor the United States. The French G4 gun 
ship continued in company with him, and in five days after 



COMMODORE BARNEY. 129^ 

leaving the Havana, they arrived off the mouth of the Chesa- 
peake, and had the satisfaction of seeing their convoy enter it 
in safety. He was himself desirous of entering the Delaware, 
on many accounts — he knew that the money he carried 
would be an acceptable acquisition there; and ih\s public con- 
sideration was strongly enforced by private reasons, which the 
reader will beat no loss to conjecture. The French ship had 
orders to escort him to any port of the United States he might 
desire to enter, and after parting with their convoy they both 
steered eastward. They had hardly changed their course, be- 
fore they discovered a line-of-battle ship and two frigates giving 
them chase. The French captain ordered the Washington to 
go ahead of his ship, and one of the frigates soon opened a 
chase fire upon him, which he returned with such good effect 
as to cut away her fore-topmast and induce her to shorten sail : 
the other frigate and line-of-battle ship were fortunately unable, 
widi all the sail they could crowd, to come up, and that after- 
noon they reached the mouth of the Delaware in safety. 
Here the captain of the escort, being released by Captain Barney 
from the obligation of iurther attendance, took his leave, re- 
ceived three hearty cheers from the Washington, and turned his 
prow towards France. 

On the same evening Captain Barney entered the Delaware 
Bay close under the southern shore — a British squadron being 
in the offing. He was favored with a light wind, which ena- 
bled him to hold on his course up the Bay all night, and it would 
seem that his anxiety began to increase as the danger might 
be supposed to lessen, for he continued to walk the deck the 
whole night, keeping a constant look out on all sides of him. 
About three o'clock in the morning, he discovered something 
like a forest of masts ahead : he seemed to know in a moment, 
as if by instinct, that they belonged to refugee boats, and 
forming his resolution at the same instant, he ordered the ship to 
be put about as silently as possible. This movement being af- 
fected with as much alertness as silence, he ordered his men to 
quarters — divided his marines between the forecastle and 
quarter deck — gave directions that the guns should be loaded 
with grape and cannister shot — and saw everything prepared 
to let go the anchor in a moment. Everything being thus quietly 
arranged for attack, he ordered the ship to be again tacked, and 
steering into the midst of the naked forest which he had so ac- 
curately understood, gave the order to let go the anchor, and open 
a fire on both sides. The consternation among the refugees 
may be imagined : he sunk one of their barges with sixty men 



130 



MEMOIR OP 



on board, captured several others, and retook five American 
vessels with thirty men on hoard, vvliich these heartless rohbers 
had captured a few days before. Two of the barges escaped, 
but with such loss and damage that they were never of further 
annoyance to the Bay, wliicli might now be said to be complete- 
ly delivered Iron refngees. He weighed anchor again imme- 
diately with his prizes, and continued his course up the Bay. 
At daylight he discovered a number of vessels at anchor ahead 
of him, all of which, with a celerity of movement which noth- 
ing but fear could have produced, had their anchors up and all 
sail set straining every nerve to escape him, without taking the 
trouble even to look at his colors. He outsailed them, how- 
ever, so much, that he soon overtook them and relieved their 
apprehensions; and to his own great surprise, he found them to 
be the same fleet which' he had left in the Bay, thirtyiive days 
before! Though they were all armed, they had been afraid to 
venture again even in sight of the Capes, as the enemy's squad- 
ron had continued to occupy their position just without. They 
said, they kneiv the ship the moment they saw her, but not being 
able to comprehend how it had been possible for Captain Bainey, 
both in going and returning, to escape the enemy, they took it 
for granted he had been taken, and that his ship had been sent 
back after them as a decoy ! — It was certainly a most extraor- 
dinary piece of good fortune in the Washington, twice to pass 
the hostile squadron without being observed, or at least without 
being intercepted — and we cannot wonder that his quondam 
convoy were unwilling to trust the evidence of their senses. 

We deem it of sufficient importance to mention here, more 
particularly as something that our nautical readers — should we 
be so fortunate as to hive any of that class — may better un- 
derstand, perhaps, than we do, and derive from it some practical 
information. Captain Birney, who never omitted a chance of 
ma'cing hlmieW^ intinite with his vessel, (if we may use such an 
expression,) by looking closely at her trim, and comparative 
speed under various aspects of the wind, on his passage home 
discovered that when she was upon a wind, and playing into a 
head sea, the miin-stay, after yielding to the bend of the mast 
forward, would be brought up with a jerk so as to endanger its 
being carried away. It was suggested to him by one of his 
quarter-masters, that the sudden strain might be obviated by 
slinging a loeight to the. stay. He directed the experiment to 
be m ida, by attaching a small cannon to the stay, and it was 
found— or at least thought — ^that the ship afterwards pitched 
with mare ease, and made better head-way. Captain Barney 



COMMODORE BARNEy. 131 

watched the motion of the weight with much curiosity — at 
times it would hang so low as nearly to come in contact with the 
hoats on the ^ chocks,^ and then hy the sudden spring of the 
stay, it would be sent the whole length of the slings above it: 
he was satisfied after long and close observation, that the ship 
sailed much faster when it was used, than when it was laid aside. 
— We are not sufficiently versed in nautical affairs, to know 
whether any useful hint may be gathered from this fact, but we 
have not felt ourselves at liberty to suppress a professional inci- 
dent, which so accomplished a master thought worth remember- 
ing. — His crew on this voyage consisted of one hundred and 
twenty men, ninetysix of whom were leads-men — that is men 
who could ' heave the lead' — a remarkable fact, which it may 
be safely asserted never before occurred in shipping a crew for 
any vessel : the consequence was, that before he returned he 
had an entire crew of first rate seamen, for those acquainted 
with the character of this class of men on board a ship, know 
that they invariably become in a little time expert in all the ar- 
cana of a sailor's duty. 

On the day after his affair with the refugees, and the ex- 
citement of such terror among the detained privateers and 
letters of marque, Captain Barney arrived at Philadelphia. 
]Mr Morris, who was then at the head of the Marine Board, 
as well as Superintendent of Finance, was as much astonished 
as he was gratified, when he reported himself as having re- 
turned from a successful execution of his mission : he could 
hardly believe, with the evidence before his eyes, that the 
voyage to Cape Francois, in Hispaniola, thence to the 
Havana, in Cuba, and tlience back lo Philadelphia, could be 
accomplished in the space of thirfyfive days. However 
common such despatch may be at the present day, it was then 
without example ; such a thing had never been known ; and 
the delighted financier expressed his sense of the merit of 
his chosen agent, in no measured terms of approbation. 

The money was all safely landed, and proper disposition 
made of the prisoners he had on board, before Captain Barney 
allowed himself to visit his expecting family. — If we were at 
all inclined to be didactical in the performance of our task, we 
should pause here to deduce a moral, for the benefit of our 
youthful readers, from the fact just mentioned : — no man ever 
lived who more freely enjoyed the pleasures of life, in all their 
innocent varieties, than the subject of this memoir ; but he had 
courage and resolution to resist temptation, even in its most 
seductive forms, whenever it beckoned him from a duty un- 



132 MEMOIR OP COMMODORE BARNEY. 

performed — and we may fearlessly assert, that throughout the 
whole of his brilliant career, he never once neglected a task 
entrusted to him, or left to the care of others that for which he 
felt himself to be responsible. — But we have neither taste nor 
talent for moralizing, and we have too much respect for our 
readers, and too sincere a wish to merit theirs in return, to abuse 
the power which accident has put into our hands. 

Among the first visits which Captain Barney made, on his 
return to Philadelphia, was one to his Quaker friend, to whose 
care he had confided the wounded captain of the General Monk. 
We mention the fact, because we think it highly honorable to 
his character. — How unlike the conduct of Captain Anthony 
James Pye MaUoy towards his prisoner ! or that of the Hon- 
orahJe Commander of the Yarmouth, towards the wretched 
sufferers whose fortune it was to be conveyed by him to England ! 
It is impossible to make the comparison without feeling an 
honest pride in the superiority of our gallant and noble spirited 
countryman. 



CHAPTER XI 



Historical Review. — Captain Barney is sent to France with Despatches:-^ 
his Interview with Dr Franklin at Passy : — meets Messrs Ailnms, Jay, and 
Laurens at Paris — is introduced to the royal family at Versailles : — agree- 
able sojourn at Paris — returns to his ship at ], "Orient : — receives a confi- 
denlial communication from Dr Franklin: — sails from L' Orient with the 
Kiri^^ of England's Passport : — successful manceuvres to avoid being visited 
by British cruisers. — He arrives at Philadelphia — brings the first intelli- 
gence of Peace — is sent by Congress and eagerly questioned — joy of the 
people: — his family — another son born. — The Treaty arrives. — He is 
again despatched to England and France. — Curious anecdote of his Passen- 
gers. — He arrives at [Plymouth — his feelings on the occasion: — gives a 
/eVe on board his ship to his friends, the Clergyman's family: — visits the 
old Gardener at Lord Edgecombe's : — interesting discovery. — He sails for 
Havre : — visits Paris again for a few days : — returns to his ship : — lands 
Mr Laurens in England, and arrives salely at Philadelphia. — His ship the 
only one retained in seivice : — hs is despatched agiin to France. — Anec- 
dote of John Paul Jones : — Major L'Enfant : — is ordered to wait at Havre 
for the Minisier's despatclies : — withstands every temptation to visit Paris : 

— sails in a heavy gale : — tempestuous and perilous passage : — finds the 
Chesapeake Bay blocked up with Ice : — gets into Annapolis with gre;it diffi- 
culty : — Congress in session there : — he lands and travels on horseback to 
Philadelphia : — state of the roads — snow three feet deep. — Is ordered to 
take his ship into Baltimore and sell her : — removes his family to B.dtimore. 

— Affecting interview with Mr Morris on the settlement of his accounts, and 
close of his service. — Letter from Mr Laurens. 

The several belligerent powers were by this time beginning 
to think, that their resources might be better employed than in 
the continuance of hostiiities, from which it was now become 
manifest that no parly had anything further to gain. Great 
Britain, indeed, had long since been forced to the reluctant ad- 
mission, that her colonies were irrecoverably separated from her; 
and she had already shown her willingness to acknov/ledge their 
independence, provided they would agree to abandon their allies 
and form a separate treaty of peace. But this proposition they 
had rejected, with the indignation it was calculated to excite in 
the bosom of an honorable and grateful people, and had deter- 
mined to rise or fall with the friends who had so magnanimously 
stepped forth to their assistance in a time of need. — The sur- 
render of Cornwallis on the one hand, and the defeat of the 
12 



1314 MEMOIR OP 

Count de Grasse on the other, had seemed to satisfy the two 
principal parties to the war ; and hostilities had thenceforth been 
but sluggishly carried on. Sir Guy Carleton and Washington 
contented themselves with looking at each other, without ventur- 
ing to meet — the former thought it useless to attempt any fur- 
ther conquest in a country which his government had resolved 
to give up ; and the latter felt no inclination to sport with the 
lives of his fellow-citizens and soldiers, merely for the purpose 
of adding to his own fame. The consequence was, that the two 
armies had remained inactive during the greater part of the year. 
Such however was not the case with the naval forces of the iwo 
powers : the ships of Great Britain still annoyed our commerce 
and blockaded our bays and rivers, while the few cruisers be- 
longing to the United States, that could elude the vigilance of 
the hostile squadrons, occasionally performed some achievement 
of retaliation, which added another and another wreath to the 
chaplets they had already won from the mistress of the ocean. 
In this state of things Catharine of Russia, and the Emperor 
of Germany, believing that affairs had reached a crisis, when a 
peace might be made upon terms acceptable to all parties, offer- 
ed their friendly mediation, which neither of the belligerents 
thought it prudent to refuse ; and commissioners were accord- 
ingly named to meet at Paris for the negotiation of a treaty of 
general amity. 

It was about this period, that Captain Barney was a second 
lime selected by Mr Morris, for the execution of an important 
trust.* The prompt and successful manner in which he had 

*Copy of a letter from the Honorable Robert Morris to Captain Barney of 
the ship General Washington. 

'Marine Office, 7th October, 1782. 

'Sir, — With this you will receive sundry letters, which you will make 
up in such manner, that, in c, se of capture, they may be sunk before you 
strike your colors. I hope, however, that you may meet a happier fate. 
You will make the first port which you can arrive at in Europe. France 
will be better than any other part. The various letters which may be direct- 
ed to private individuals you will put in the Post Office, but the public letters 
you will yourself take charge of and proceed with all possible expedition to 
Paris, where you will deliver them. Inclosed are letters of introduction. 
Any necessary expenses for the ship will be defrayed by Mr Barclay, the 
American Consul, to whom you will apply for that purpose. Ifyou arrive at 
L'Orient, you will probably find him there. You will lake Mr Franklin's 
orders after you get to France for your departure and destination. He may 
perhaps direct you to call at some port in the West Indies, in which case he 
will give you ample instructions. 

' As your safe and speedy arrival is of great importance, you will take care 
not to chase any vessel, but to avoid as much as possible everything which 
can either delay or endanger you. 

' I hope your expenditures in Europe may be moderate, for we can ill afford 
any which are unnecessary, and I trust your continuance there will be but 



COMMODORE BARNET. 135 

performed the service before entrusted to him, pointed him out 
as the proper person to be charged with the dehvery of impor- 
tant despatches, on the present occasion, to our minister at Paris. 
The opportunity was also embraced by the French an.bassador 
to the United States, and with the approbation of Mr Morris, 
M. Laford, the secretary of M. Lucerne, took passage with 
Captain Barney in the General Washington. — We are unable 
to say what occurred to delay the departure of the ship so long 
after the date of Mr Morris's letter, but it appears from Captain 
Barney's memoranda that he did not leave Philadelphia until 
the beginning of November. — As despatch in this aflair was 
unquestioniably of great importance, and much depended upon 
Dr Franklin's receiving the final instructions of our government 
before the arrival of the British commissioners at Paris, it is not 
improbable that the transcriber of this official paper committed 
the error of putting ' October^ for JVovember, and that in truth 
Captain Barney sailed on the day he received his orders, as had 
been his custom. — He was once more fortunate enough to 
elude the British squadron, which was still watching the mouth 
of the Delaware, and after the remarkably short passage of 
seventeen days, he arrived safely at L'Orient. Here he left 
his ship, and proceeded without an hour's delay to Paris. Dr 
Franklin was at his usual residence of Passy, a small village in 
the vicinity of the great city, whither our rapid messenger sought 
him, without stopping even to refresh himself; and here for 
the first time he had the honor of an interview with his venera- 
ble, and universally venerated, countryman — the statesman, 
philosopher, and patriot. Having delivered his despatches, and 
received a compliment on his promptitude of movement, which 
was not the less welcome from such lips because it v/as con- 
sciously deserved, he was about to retire, when the plain hon- 
est old printer laid his hand upon him, and said kindly, ' No ! 
no ! my gallant young countryman, you are my prisoner for the 
rest of this day ! — I cannot let you go, until we see what my 
old cook can dish up for us — so sit you down, and take a din- 
ner with me en famille — it will be ready in a few min utes.* 

short. You will show this letter to Mr Franklin when you see him, and he 
will probalily be able in some short time to determine your future move- 
ments. Should you return to America immediately, I think it will be safest, 
as the enemy are now about to evacuate Charleston, and it will be in mid- 
winter when you arrive, that you should fall in to the southward, and run up 
the coast into the Chesapeake, but of this you will determine according to 
your own discretion, and be directed by circumstances as they arise. 

I am, sir, your most obedient servant, Robert Morris, 

« Capt Barney, of the ship General Washington.' 



136 MEMOIR OP 

An invitation, so given, from such a man, was too great an hon- 
or to be declined, and Captain Barney drew his chair to the 
fire, while the minister busied himself in reading the despatches 
— The sage and the sailor dined tete-a-tete : no man knew bet- 
ter than Dr Franklin how to touch the ' ruling passion' of 
those with whom he conversed; and it is well known, that he 
never omitted an opportunity, while in France, of evincing his 
admiration of bravery and patriotism whenever he met with a 
countryman who had given evidence of either in the long and 
arduous struggle which he was so anxious to see brought to an 
honorable close. The prospect of affairs at the present moment, 
had a brighter aspect for his country than they had yet worn, 
and he was gay and cheerful. Mr Morris had recommended 
his young friend to the 'particular notice and attention 'of the 
minister as ' an active, gallant officer, who had already behaved 
well on many occasions, and vviiose conduct he knew would do 
honor to those by whom he was patronized and introduced.' 
The Doctor made him ' fight all his battles o'er again,' and 
treated him with such paternal kindness and familiarity, that 
Barney felt that day to be the proudest of his life : it was a 
full recompense for all his toils and perils. Before he took his 
leave, the minister told him that he should allow him to stay but 
a few days in Paris, but would endeavor to make those few 
agreeable to him, by presenting hini at the court of Versailles 
and introducing him to some of tlie distinguished person;igesin 
attendance upon it: — for tliis pinpose, he requested him to 
hold himself in readiness on the followins; evening — ' After that, 
my young hero !' continued the good humored old philosopher, 
' you must be back to L'Orient with your accustomed speed ; 
for you have a large sum of money to carry home with you, 
which our good friend the king has lent us, and yon must be on 
board your ship to receive it — now, good-night ! and God bless 
you !' 

At Paris, Captain Barney found his old friend Mr John 
Adams, who, together with John Jay and Henry Laurens, 
Esquires, had been united with Dr Franklin, as Connnissioners 
for treating of peace with the Britisli plenipotentiary. Mr 
Adams gave him a cordial reception, introduced him to his 
colleagues, and made the same offer of presenting him at 
Court which he had already accepted from Dr Franklin. Un- 
der such auspices, we need not be surprised that he received 
the most flattering attentions from many persons of the highest 
distinction in Paris, and that be had every reason to be de- 
lighted with his visit : — from the Count d'Estaing, Count 



COMMODORE BARNEY. 137 

Rocharnbeau, the Marquis de la Fayette, and others of the 
young nobihty who had served in the United States, more par- 
ticularly, he received every mark of attention and kindness, 
that the most distinguished individual could have expected. — 
At the appointed hour, he accompanied the minister to Versailles, 
was presented to their Majesties, and had tlie honor of kissing 
the cheek of the beautiful, but unfortunate, Marie Antoinette. 
The Court circle on this occasion was principally composed of 
Americans, and the distinguished French officers who had 
taken a part in their campaigns ; and their Majesties seemed 
determined to give as much as possible an American character 
to the entertainment, by introducing the customs peculiar to 
the United States — tea was handed around to the company, a 
refreshment then for the first time seen at a drawing-room in 
the palace of Versailles! and every effort seemed to be made 
by this unhappy pair to evince the respect in which they held 
their republican allies. Alas ! how little did they then dream, 
that the assistance which they had contributed to sever the 
British empire in America, had laid the axe to the root of their 
own ancient monarchy, and that the sturdy republicans whom 
they so much delighted to honor were unconsciously teaching 
their own people a lesson in the science of self-government, 
which was so soon to bring their heads to the block, and to 
deluge France with blood ! 

In obedience to the minister's injunction. Captain Barney 
returned immediately to L'Orient, where he arrived in time to 
receive on board the promised money, which consisted of numer- 
ous chests of gold and barrels of silver. From this moment his 
pleasures were at an end ; he remained on board his ship as 
closely as if he had been a prisoner during the whole time he 
was obliged to wait at L'Orient — so strictly did he construe 
the responsibility he had assumed. A few days afterwards he 
received a letter from Dr Franklin,* but instead of tlie es- 

• Extract of a Letter from Dr Franklin to Captain Barney. 

'Passy, Dec. 5, 17S2. 

• • * * 'I have kept the express, hoping to have sent by him our final 
Letters. But the answer of ttie Court being not yet obtained, and (he time 
when wc may expect it being from some present circumstances very uncer- 
tain, I dismiss liim ; and shall send another when we are ready. In (he 
meantime, it may be agreeable, and of some use to you to know, that though 
peace between us and England is not concluded, (and will not be till France 
and England are agreed) yet the preliminary articles are signed, and you 
will have an English passport. I acquaint you ivith this in friendship, 
that if you have any little adventure on your own account, you may save 
the insurance : but you will keep it to yourself/or the present. Hold your 

12* 



138 MEMOIR OP 

pected orders to sail, he was merely told to hold his ship ready 
— a very unnecessary caution to one who was ^ tou- 
1783 jours pref — and for.six weeks longer he was tantaliz- 
ed with the daily expectation of the ' final letters/ 
He was very much gratified, however, at the information con- 
tained in the minister's letter, and more particularly with the 
manner in which it was communicated. 

Early in January, 1783, he received his despatches, accom- 
panied by a passport, under the sign manuel of the King of 
England, for the ' Sliip General Washington, belonging to the 
United States of Nortli America' — he smiled at the singular 
coincidence, and wondered, to himself, whether the king had 
seen the name of his ship, when he signed the passport ! — 
He received at the same time another short letter from Franklin, 
charging him still to keep 'secret' the information he had given 
him. and by no means to suffer his ship to be visited by the 
English cruisers notwithstanding his passport, lest the large sum 
of money he had on board might tempt them to detain him — 
the letter closed with wishing him a speedy passage and all 
good fortune. — He was detained for several days after the 
receipt of his orders by adverse winds, and it was not until 
ihe 18ih of the month that he could move from the harbor of 
L'Orient ; and even then the prospect was so unfavorable, that 
his ship was the only one of several fine American armed 
vessels, then lying there all ready to sail, that dared to venture 
out — nor did any of the others quit the port for six weeks 
afterwards, owing to the continued prevalence of high westerly 
winds. The passage home was in every respect one of the 
most disagreeable and uncomfortable he had ever experienced 
— ^"it was the severest portion of the winter, and a day seldom 
passed without a cold northwest gale, sometimes bringing rain 
and sleet, which made it almost impossible for the seamen to 
keep the deck, and at other times covering the sails and rigging 
with snow and ice : every masi and spar were sprung before he 
gained a sight of the land, which did not happen until the 8th 

ship ready, as we know not how soon we may be ready to dismiss you. 
With great regard, I have the honor to lie. Sir, 

Your most obedient and most humble servant, 

B. Feanklin. 

P.S. ' Let me know what vessel* aie at L'Orient bound to America, and 
when they sail. — If'^ny vessel tor North America sails before you, send with 
her tlie incloied lor Mr and kt me know by whom it goes.' 



COMMODORE BARNEY. 139 

of March, fifty days after he had sailed from L'Orient. He 
made the coast a little to the northward of the Delaware and 
in running along shore for the Capes, he was chased by three 
ships, which were so disposed as to render the prospect of es- 
cape almost hopeless — one of them was on his lee quarter, 
another abreast of him, and the third on his Jec how — the wind 
off shore, blowing very hard, and the weather intensely cold. 
He was determined not even to be visited if he could help it, 
but the chances were incalculably against him. He knew that 
his ship sailed well, however, and he did not spare the canvas 
— as night came on, he found that he had worked ahead of 
them considerably, but as it was impossible for him to enter the 
Capes in tlie dark without a pilot, except at a greater risk per- 
haps than that he was endeavoring to avoid, he hauled close in 
with the land, into three fathom water, dropped his anchor, and 
furled every sail! By this ingenious and well timed rnanceuvre, 
he made himself invisible to the chasing ships : they passed so 
near him in the night as to be distinctly seen themselves, wliile 
his naked masts presented so small an object as to be entirely 
beyond the power of vision at the distance which they thought 
it prudent to keep from tlie shoal water. In the morning, every 
rope and sjiar were covered tliick with ice ; and it was not with- 
out great labor and difficulty the anchor was weighed. The 
enemy were still in sight off Cape Henlopen, but he succeeded 
in entering the Bay, by the Cape May channel — the scene of 
his former triumph — and in the course of the forenoon lost all 
trace of his pursuers. On the 12th of March, he arrived safely 
at Philadelphia, and had the satisfaction of receiving another 
compliment from the venerable r\lorris. 

The first intelligence which our government had received of 
what was going on at Paris, was that which Captain Barney 
now brought : and such was the universal interest it excited that, 
on the following day, he was sent for by Congress, and minute- 
ly questioned as to the source and extent of his information. 
Dr Franklin's confidential letter to him, and the King of Eng- 
land's passport, were put into the hands of the President, as 
comprising all that he knew on the subject ; but it was soon 
whispered that he was the bearer of a Treaty of Peace, and, 
joy was diffused through the whole community — in the course 
of the following month, a French sloop of war arrived with a 
confirmation of the news, and a copy of the ' preliminary arti- 
cles;' and men, women, and children, citizens and soldier, 
united in one general thanksgiving for the blessing of peace. 

Captain Barney had now the happiness of enjoying the so- 



140 MEMOIR OP 

ciety of his faQiily for a longer period than had fallen to his lot 
since he became a husband. On his return he found a second 
son, born a few weeks before his arrival ; and he began to think 
that the prediction, which had escaped him in his soliloquy over 
the rifled ' chair-box,' was in a fair way of verification. But 
he had now no reason to entertain the slightest fear, as to his 
ability to protect and support all that it might please Providence 
to bless him with, for his good fortune had more than retrieved 
what his former carelessness had lost ; and besides the inde- 
pendence of present means, he had still youth, health, a vigor- 
ous constitution, and a profession which would always command 
employment. He was the idol of popular favor in Philadel- 
phia, and stood high with the government ; and we may ven- 
ture to say, that not an individual in the wide circle of those 
whom the peace had brought together in the American capital, 
was more truly happy than our gallant tar. 

Upon the cessation of hostilities, which took place immedi- 
ately after the arrival of the French sloop of war, in April, 
with a copy of the treaty, the ship General Washington was 
converted by the government into a regular packet ; Captain 
Barney was retained in command of her, and was for a long 
time employed in a succession of expeditions to various parts of 
Europe. Ill June of the present year, after being for nearly 
three months at home, he was sent with despatches to England 
and France, and a number of French and other officers were 
permitted to lake passage with him — among them were Gener- 
al Duportail, Colonels Gouvain and Lermoy, and Major Jack- 
son, one of General Washington's private secretaries. — A 
most singular incident occurred during the passage, which, as it 
terminated happily, we may venture to relate; but we take 
leave, in doing so, to protest against being considered as giving 
our sanction to any such experiments, to be hereafter made by 
those having no authority to kill ^secundum artem.^ — In a few 
days after leaving the Capes, one of the French gentlemen be- 
gan to show symptoms of mental derangement, which, in des- 
pite of the remedies employed under the direction of an ex- 
perienced and skilful surgeon, rapidly grew worse ; and m a 
little time, the patient became a raving maniac, so wickedly 
and savagely disposed towards all who approached him, as to 
make it dangerous for any person to attend him, and it was 
, found necessary to confine him in irons. One of his brother 
officers, under the idea that the case was a desperate, as well 
as a distressing one, proposed to the surgeon to try the effect 
of a large dose of opium, mentioning at the same time several 



COMMODOKE BARNEY. 141 

instances in which he had seen similar affections so treated with 
the happiest consequences. The surgeon declared that such a 
dose would produce rfe«^A — the officer called a council of war 
on the case, and they unanimously decided, that his prescrip- 
tion should be tried ; but as the surgeon ' washed his hands' 
of the affair, it became a question who should administer the 
dose. To divide the responsibility, and render all equally lia- 
ble to indictment for murder, should the experiment prove fa- 
tal, it was agreed that all should have a hand in preparing the 
medicine, and that the person to force it down the throat of the 

maniac should be determined by lot : in short, the opium 

was administered ; the patient soon fell into a profound and 
deathlike sleep, which lasted so long that all began to fear it was 
indeed the ' sleep of death ; ' but to their infinite surprise and 
joy, on the third morning, the patient awaked in his perfect 
senses, and so continued during the rest of the voyage — as 
well as ever, but totally unconscious of all that had passed. 

The ship arrived at Plymouth in fourteen days, which we 
believe is one of the shortest passages ever made from Phila- 
delphia. This was the theatre of so many of Barney's suffer- 
ings, and so many of his ' hair-breadth 'scapes,' as a prisoner, 
that we cannot wonder he felt a proud gratification at the op- 
portunity of showing himself in his present high rank and hon- 
orable employment. The first thing he did, after disposing of 
his letters, was to call upon his old friend the clergyman and 
his family, to repeat his grateful sense of obligation for their 
many acts of kindness : they received him with the affection- 
ate greetings of a son and brother, and many a sweet laugh 
did they mutually enjoy at the reminiscences which the meeting 
could not fail to call back. He was rejoiced to hear that they 
had suffered no persecution on his account, and that not even a 
suspicion had fallen upon them of having harbored him. Du- 
ring his short stay in Plymouth, he gave a sumptuous enter- 
tainment on board his ship to these much valued friends, and 
insisted upon their inviting their own company without limita- 
tion — on this occasion he had the sl)ip splendidly dressed and 
decorated during the day, and brilliantly illuminated in the even- 
ing : a large company, of the most respectable inhabitants of 
Plymouth, partook of the entertainment, and his feelings may 
be imagined from the brief but expressive manner in which he 
signalizes the day in his journal — 'This,' says he, ' was one ot 
the happiest days of my life ! ' — The British officers who 
were in the town and on the station, without a single exception, 
called to pay their respects to him, and the commanding ad- 



143 



MEMOIR OP 



miral did him the honor of an especial visit to look at his ship 
and make him an offer of service. It w;is impossible to forget 
how different had been his treatment in the same place, but two 
short years before, when he was advertised as a 'rebel deser- 
ter' and threatened with being ' hung as a trai or to his king ! * 
but the recollection brought with it no feeling of bitterness 
against a single individual of those who had been his hard-hearted 
jailors ; on the contrary, it enhanced his enjoyment of the pre- 
sent moment, and rendered the honors paid him doubly grati- 
fying. — He did not fail to visit the little village of Causen, 
which had been the scene of one of his ' narrow chances,' nor 
to call at Lord Edgecombe's magnificent park, for the purpose 
of inquiring after the old gardener, who had so good naturedly 
opened ' a backdoor' for his escape — he found the old man in 
the same employment, and almost in the same spot — and but 
little less astonished at the present, than he had been at the first, 
unceremonious visit; but when he made himself known as the 
officer who had Incurred ihejine of haf a guinea for crossing 
aheclge, and who was now come to pay it, as well as to leave 
some further mark of gratitude for the timely assistance he had 
rendered to him at his need, the old man rubbed his eves ; 
looked again at the gay officer before him ; and when at length 
he fully recognised the features of his former trespasser, he 
seemed to be so much rejoiced to see him again, that it came 
to the visitor's turn to be surprised. — Our readers, we are 
sure, will not only be equally snrpi'ised, but will sympathize, 
in the heartfelt pleasure which Captain Barney experienced, 
when he learned that this venerable gardener, was the father 
of the soldier to whose good feelings he owed his escape 
from Mill Prison ! The connivance of this soldier had never 
been suspected ; and when upon the subsequent close pur- 
suit, the runaway prisoner had been traced through Lord 
Edgecombe's garden, and it became known to the son, that his 
father had, however unconsciously, aided the escape, he dis- 
closed to the old man his important secret, and thus a common 
interest was established between them in the safety of the Ameri- 
can officer. — We need hardly add, that instead of the guinea 
which Captain Barney had intended to bestow, he pressed his 
full purse upon the old man ; and left with him his address in 
America, with a charge for the son to call upon him, if any- 
tliing should ever bring him again to that country. 

After a stay of six days at Plymouth — the greater part of 
which time he was involuntarily detained by the winds — to use 
again his own words, he took leave of his ' dear, good friends 



COMMODORE BARNEY. 



143 



with reluctance, and two days afterwards arrived at Havre de 
Grace.' Here he left his ship, and travelled, with as much 
speed as the accommodations of the road would admit, to Paris. 
His introductions at this gay capital hut a few months before 
had not been forgotten, and he not only found ready access to 
the best society, but soon became one of the most favored guests 
at all the reunions and pedis soupers of the gay and fashiona- 
ble. A number of American ladies had joined the society 
which he had left at Paris the previous November, and our hon- 
ored countryman found his services in constant requisition, as 
dcisheo and escort, to the thousand places of amusement which 
offered their daily and nightly attractions to the sojourners in 
this Paradis des Flaisirs. But he did not permit the plea- 
sures of Paris and its throngs of gay idlers to seduce him from 
the calls of duty : the moment Dr Franklin announced his 
readiness to despatch him, he returned to Havre de Grace and 
in a few days had his ship ready for sea. In the meantime, 
Mr Laurens, one of the Commissioners, arrived at Havre, with 
permission of the minister to take passage in the ship to En"-- 
land. They sailed on the following day, and fortyeight hours 
afterwards Mr Laurens was landed at Pool. During the two 
days that he remained on board, the captain took occasion to 
mention to his distinguished passenger the fact of his having 
been in London, while he was in the Tower, and the reasons 
that prevented him from calling there to pay his respects. — Mr 
Laurens smiled, and remarked that the captain had acted wisely 
in refraining from the visit, since it was certain he would have 
been recognised and probably made to suffer severely for Ills 
temerity ; ' but,' he continued, in a tone of patriotic exulta- 
tion — 'times are changed with us both. Captain Barnev ! we 
are no longer proscribed rebels and irnitors, but the honored of 
our country ; and let us never forget that we are indebted to 
the persevering bravery and untamable spirit of that country, 
and not to the forbearance of our enemy, that we live to look 
back at our sufferings.' — In twentyeight days from the time of 
leaving Havre, Captain Barney arrived safely at Philadelphia, 
in the beginning of August. 

Tiie ship General Washington being the only one which the 
United States had retained in the public service after the 
Peace, she was necessarily kept busily employed. The cele- 
brated John Paul Jones, had applied to Congress immediately 
after the cessation of hostilities, to be appointed agent, to solicit, 
under the direction of the Minister Plenipotentiary at the Court 
of Versailles, payment for all the prizes which had been taken 



144 MEMOIR OF 

in Europe under his command ; on the 1st of November they 
assented to the application and passed a resolution, recommend- 
ing Capt. Jones to their JVlinisier in France, and directing the 
Agent of Marine to provide liim with a passage to France in 
the ship Washington. She was accordingly immediately got 
ready, and Captain Barney again sailed from Philadelphia. M. 
Oster, a French consul, was also a passenger ; and the society 
of Cincinnati, recently established by the officers of the army 
and navy, (of which Captain Barney himself was a member) 
embraced the same opportunity of sending Major L'Enfant to 
France, for the purpose of attending to certain affairs in which 
they were deeply interested. The major was at this time a 
great favorite with the Americans ; a gay, gallant officer ; full 
of intelligence and professional zeal ; and warmly attached to 
the cause of the United States : he possessed a proud and in- 
dependent spirit, but was as social in liis disposition as the gayest 
of his happy countrymen. Captain Jones was reserved and 
not entirely free from moroseness : even in his moments of re- 
laxation, he verified what Froissart has so quaintly said of the 
British islanders, ' qui se rejouissant iristemeiit, selon h cou" 
iume de lew pays. ^ The consul was all life and spirits ; and 
upon the whole the cabin guests formed an agreeable partie 
guarree. Barney h?.d orders to land Captain Jones at any place 
in Europe that he might designate, and then to await at Havre 
de Grace the farther instructions of the American minister. 
After they had been at sea a day or two, he was very much 
surprised to hear from Captain Jones, that he desired to be 
landed on the coast England, ' anywhere that he could first 
make land : ' he was surprisfed, because he knew the detestation 
in which the character of Jones was held there, and that Jones 
himself was aware that his American commission would avail 
him nothing, if he fell into the power of the British government; 
he could not help, therefore, expressing his great astonishment, 
that his passenger should choose to incur such a risk, par- 
ticularly as he understood him to be anxious to reach Paris. — 
' As to that,' Captain Jones replied, 'I shall very probably be 
in Paris before you — but it is of infinitely more importance to 
me to see a certain person in England ; and I am too well ac- 
quainted whh every foot of it, and know too well how to steer 
my course, to apprehend any personal danger. — Put me ashore 
wherever you can make the coast ; 1 shall leave my baggage 
with you, and it will not be the first time, if I have to traverse 
all England with the blood-hounds upon my track.' Barney 
was one of the very few American officers who knew how to 



COMMOUORE BARNEY. 

appreciate the eccentricities of Jones — be had 
from the first year of his entering the navy — thej 
together in the little expedition against the Baham? 
and though he had for several years lost sight of 1 
distant services, he had not failed to hear of and 
numerous gallant achievements. He respected I 
general intelligence and his profound knowledge 
fession ; and he loved him for that chivalry in hi 
which so nearly resembled bis own. This was tli 
the two officers had ever been so long together, and 
ed a sincere attachment for each other. For many 
night, while the two Frenchmen below were amusing 
at Piquet or Tric-trac, these brothers in chivalry 
the quarter-deck, or seat themselves on the hen- 
talk over bye gone events. It was easy to percei 
elder was an unhappy man, and it required but little 
of the human heart to discover that the cause, whate 
be, was beyond the reach of friendly sympathy. 
Barney knew it would be unavailing to attempt to d 
Chevalier from his piu'pose of landing on the coast o 
and theiefore steered for that part of it where he 
least likely to meet with interruption ; on the sixteei 
put him ashore at a small fishing place and then tr 
sails for Havre, which he reached two or three days 
in safety. 

Major L'Knfant was very solicitous to take his frit 
with him to Paris, but the orders of the latter were 
' wait at Havre,' and he knew as well how to obey 
mand. ' Mais que diable ferez vous ici .'" said the n 
ging his shoulders at the idea of any hody presumi 
the temptations of Paris — 'vous n'avez qu' a d 

Franklin que ' But it was all to no purpose ; Be 

ed that he could pass three weeks at Havre — the t 
ordered to remain there — with as much pleasure a 
to which the major replied with a ' Bah !' and they 
We give great credit to Captain Barney for the fin 
which he resisted even an invitation from Dr Franl 
to go to Paris — for the following passage in a lette 
received from him while at Havre, might have been 
construed into such an invitation as would have excu 
his friend Mr Morris, on his return to the United St; 
der date of the 16th December, 1783, at Passy, t 
says to him : ' If you cmne to Paris, I have a room 
your service, and shall be glad you would accept c 
13 



146 



MEMOIR OP 



and in another part of the same letter, he says : ' If in anything 
I can serve you here, let nie know, and I shall doit with plea- 
sure.' There would certainly have been no danger of reproach 
at home, if he had jumped into the Diligence and taken the 
good Doctor at his word ; hut when he felt himself under an 
obligation of duty, as we have more than once had occasion to 
see, his resolution was proof against every seduction. — He 
was agreeably surprised to receive by the sauje post a let- 
1784 ter from Captain Jones,* who had happily reached Paris, 
as it appeared, without having encountered any of the 
obstacles, feared /or him rather than by him in England. 

On the very last day of the three weeks that Captain Barney 
was ordered to wait at Havre for the Minister's despatches, he 
received them by express, and immediately afterwards left the 
Port, in one of the severest gales he had ever experienced — 
' hut orders must he oheyed,'' is his own brief comment upon his 
putting to sea in such weather. The gale continued all the way 
through the Channel, and off the Western Islands his rudder 
came off, the iron with which it was mounted having been cor- 
roded by its contact with the copper bottom of the ship ; but 
he contrived to get it on board and so repair its fastenings as to 
make it ' do its duty' for the rest of the passage. He did not 

*As everything must be interesting from the pen of an individual who 
acted so conspicuous a pait in the great theatre of the world, as we may 
Tcry justly sa) of Paul Jones, we insert his letter without abridgment, though 
it was merely a private and friendly one. 

♦ Paris, Dec. 16th, 1783. 

« Dear Sir,— Two days alter I reached this city I was happy to hear 
that you had safely arrived at La Havre — I am sorry however lo find that 
you decline to come here where I should have taken sincere pleasure in con- 
tributing to make your hours pass agreeably. — Mr Franklin has just inform- 
ed me that he writes you by this Post, to forward the articles you have 
brought over for him by the Dilitience. I must pray you to favor me by for- 
warding my little trunk that I left in your cabin, and a small case that is in 
the care of Mr Fitzgerald, by the same conveyance with those articles for Mr 
Franklin. Mr Fitzgerald will oblige me by putting caids on them directed 
as fellows — " A Monsieur Paul Jones, Maison de M. La Chapelle, Boule- 
vard Montmartre k Paris." — At the same time you will oblige me by a let- 
ter of advice that I may know when and where to send for them. — 1 expect 
immediately to be piesented to the King, and after that ceremony, when 
I have had some conveisation with the Ministers, I will write to Mr Fitzger- 
ald respecting the Prize Money. In the meantime 1 pray him to take care 
of my cot and bedding. 

I am, dear sir, with great regard. 

Your most obedient and most humble servant, 

Paul Jonks. * 

*Jos. Barnet, Esq., Captain of the Washington.' 
*^ee Appendix, No. VII. 



COMMODORE BARNEY. 147 

reach tlie coast until the beginning of March, 1784 — the win- 
ter had been one of the coldest that had been experienced for 
many years ; and when he got into the Chesapeake, he found it 
blocked up with ice as low doivn as Cape Henry ! Several 
vessels entered the Capes with him, but the greater part of 
them were driven ashore and wrecked in t le ice : he was more 
fortunate ; but be was for fifteen days beating up and down the 
Bay, surrounded by floating ice in immense masses; many of 
his crew were frost bitten ; both his anchors were lost, the ca- 
bles being cut away by the ice in the night — in this state he 
put into Annapolis Road. 

Congress were at this moment in session at Annapolis, and 
having delivered his despatches to the President, General Mif- 
flin, and placed his ship in as perfect a state of safety as the 
circumstance would admit, C;iptain Barney set out by land for 
Philadelphia, where his family still remained The snow on 
the ground was still of an average depth of three feet, and the 
travelling was necessarily not only tedious, and difficult but ex- 
tremely dangerous. In crossing Winter's Run, between Balti- 
more and Havre de Grace, his horse broke through the ice, and 
both he and the rider were very near being swept under by the 
force of the cm-rent — nothing but the great strength of the 
one, and the dextiM-ons ingenuity of the other could have 
saved them. On arriving at Philadelphia, and reporting him- 
self to Mr Morris, he received orders to lose no time in return- 
ing to his ship and getting her up to Baltimore the moment the 
state of the ice would permit her removal as it had been deter- 
mined by the United Slates to sell her. As the sale of the 
Washington, — the only vessel which Congress had retained in 
service after the peace — would necessarily terminate his connex- 
ion with governnent, he determined to take his family back with 
him to Baltimore, where it had always been his intention to fix his 
permanent residence. Bad as the condition of the roads was, he 
thought it better that they should undertake the journey at once 
under his protection, than be left to the chance of better travel- 
ling when it might not be in his power to escort them. They 
were soon ready to accompany him, and having received from 
the superintendent of finance a draft on John Swan wick, Esq. 
for the sum of fourteen hundred dollars, to pay the balance of 
wages due the crew of the General Washington — for which 
he was informed that Mr Harwood, the Receiver for Maryland, 
would give him the cash — he commenced one of the most 
fatiguing and disagreeablejourneys he had ever yet gone through : 
patience and perseverance, however, surmounted all difficulties, 



148 



MEMOIRS OF 



and on the 1st of May he had the satisfaction to welcome his 
wife and children to his native city. 

A few days after his arrival at Baltimore, he received a letter 
from Mr Morris* giving him more detailed instructions concern- 
ing the sale of the ship, and appointing him, under the Resolu- 
tion of Congress, the agent for that object. This was done by 
Mr Morris, not only as a compliment due to Captain Barney 
in consideration of the long time he had commanded that ship, but 
from a persuasion that his ivishes to promote the interests of the 
United States ivould stimulate his endeavors to sell her for as 
high a price as possible. — Several material alterations were 
made both in the time and mode of sale, as at first prescribed by 
the Agent of Marine, at the suggestions of Captain Barney, 
who was much better acquainted with the state of the Baltimore 
markets than Mr Morris could be, who therefore readily trusted 
the whole to his own discretion. From these causes, it was not 
until some time in July, that the sale was finally effected ; and 
immediately afterwards Captain Barney proceeded to Philadel- 
phia, to deliver in his accounts, and receive his carte de conge. 

* Letter from the Honorable Robert Morris to Captain Barney. 

Marine Office, 11th May, 1784. 

Sir, — Inclosed is a copy of a Resolution of Congress directini; the ship 
Washington to be sold — also a copy of the Advertisement which has been 
published in the several newspapers of this city inconsequence of that Res- 
olution. By the latter you will perceive that a person is to be appointed to 
attend the sale at Biillimore to receive the sum she may sell for, and deliver 
possession to the Purchaser. — As you have been for a considerable time the 
commander of that ship, I have conchuled to commit this business to your 
care, persuaded that your wishes to promote the interests of the United 
States, will stimulate your endeavors to have her sold, conformably to the 
advertisement, for as high a price as possible. — I conceive that it would 
behest for the pubhc interest to sell the lead and iron now on board the 
Washington for specie previous to the sale of the ship. You will therefore 
advertise those articles to be sold on the tenth day of next month at the 
Coffee House in Baltimore. You will also cause a proper inventory of the 
ship's materials and stores to be exhibited at the Coffee House previous to 
and at the timeof hersale, transmitting to me a copy thereof as soonasmay be. 

The Certificates to be taken in p^y'nent for the Washington, besides those 
which have been issued from the different Loan Offices of the United States, 
must be those of the comwjissioners for settling the accounts of the several 
states with the United States, and those appointed to adjust the accounts of 
the quarter-master's, commissary's, clothing, hospital, marine and army 
Departments. 

The inclosure No. 3 exhibits a list of the commissioners above referred to, 
with the states and departments to which they have been appointed. 

When the sale of the Washington is completed, the people who have been 
retained to take care of her are to he discharged, and you vi^ill as soon as pos- 
sible exhibit at this office all your accounts wliich relate to her. 
1 am. Sir, your most obedient and humble servant, 

Robert Morris. 

Joshua Barney, Esq. commanding the ship AVashington. 



COMMODORE BARNEY 



149 



H6 was now twentyjive years old — nine of which he had 
been in the service of his country ; and, except during the sev- 
eral periods when he was suffering the horrors of imprison- 
ment, in active service — as useful to his country, as it was 
honorable to himself. He had entered it an unknown, uncon- 
nected stripling — with nothing to recommend him but a stout 
heart and vigor of liiab : his ardent love of country was un- 
tried, and his aspirations for glory panted unseen in his swelling 
bosom; — but he had one advantage — he possessed that com- 
bination of features, that prepossessing expression of counten- 
ance, which has been, as truly as beautifully, characterized as a 
letter of recommendation, all the world over. He was now 
about to leave that service, honored and distinguished — known 
in every State as a champion of his country's independence, re- 
spected by the wisest, bravest, and best — courted by a numer- 
ous cir le — a husband, and a father. — Mr Morris, we have 
seen, was his earliest patron and friend ; and through every 
vicissitude of his fortune remained firmly attached to him. On 
this occasion of final settlement of accounts. Captain Barney 
received the most gratifying proof of the warm interest which 
his excellent friend took in his welfare. — Before he took leave 
of him, Mr Morris desired to know what were his pecuniary 
circumstances, and his future views of life. ' I will not consent, 
my young friend,' said he, 'that all connexion shall be dissolv- 
ed between us, because the United States have no longer occa- 
sion for your survices. I need not tell you, that you have hon- 
orably and nobly sustained the good opinion which I formed of 
you, eight years ago. I then told you, that if your conduct 
continued to be what it had been, you should always find in 
me a friend ready and happy to serve you. These were not 
mere words of course, Captain Barney — and I should be do- 
ing violence to my own feelings and princ pies were In w to 
refrain from acknowledging, that 1 owe you a debt of friendship, 
which 1 am anxious to pay. Tell me how I can best serve you 

— you cannot have laid by much money, for yours has been 
more a service of honor than that of profit — and ny business 
in which you may determine to engage, will be all the more 
prosperous, if founded upon 3. good capital. Tell me frankly, 
do you want ^ few thousands to begin with ? — my credit, my 
experience, my lasting friendship and good wishes are all yours 

— use them all as you please ! ' 

We will not attempt to express the feelings of Captain Barney, 
at this unexpected, this generous proof of the high esteem in 
which he was held jy this exalted patriot and most benevolent 
13* 



150 



MEMOIR OF 



of men. He assured Mr Morris, that he was amply provided 
with the means of establishing himself in commercial business, 
and therefore did not need the pecuniary assistance which he 
had so generously offered him, but tliat he would thankfully 
avail hmself of the friendly advice of one whose long and 
extensive experience m such pursuits so well qualified him to 
give it, and that he would not ful to take the liberty of consult- 
ing him upon all occasions of difficulty and embarrassment. — 
' Do so, my young friend,' said this good old man, ' look upon 
me as n father, and in that character let me invoke a blessing 
upon your future labors ! May God prosper you, my gallant 
boy ! Farewell ! ' 

While Captain Barney remained in Philadelphia, he was grati- 
fied to hear that his friend Mr Laurens had returned from Eng- 
land, and was then at Bristol, on the Delaware. Not having 
the time to visit him, he wrote a short letter to congratulate him 
on his arrival and to solicit that he would make his house in 
Baltimore ' a home,' on his passage through to South Carolina. 
We cannot better close this chapter, which concludes the revo- 
lutionary portion of our task, than by giving to our readers the 
ansvi'er of Mr Laurens — a volume of our own, could add 
nothing to the testimony of such men as Robert Morris and 
Henry Laurens, to the merit of him we have undertaken to 
pourtray : — 

' Bristol on the Delaware, Aug. 2.3, 1784. 

' Dear Sir, — The day before yesterday I was honored by 
the receipt of your very obliging letter of the 14th inst. which 
probably had been some days lying in the Post-Office where my 
son found it. 

' Accept my best acknowledgments for your kind congratula- 
tions and polite invitation to your house in Baltimore — the regard 
I have for Captain Barney will, barring unforeseen accidents, in- 
duce me to go miles out of my way, to pay my respects ; but 
my family and company will probably be so large as to forbid 
an acceptance of a convenience to myself which would be 
troublesome to a friend. 

' My health, thank God, has been pretty^ good since the be- 
ginning of May last, but the weakness which a two years' attack 
of the gout brought upon my nerves remains, and I have no hopes 
of recovering my strengh by increasing age, nor am I anxious on 
that score. 

' [ shall be in Philadelphia the latter end of this week, and 
shall call on Mr Bedford for the carriage ; the trunks perhaps 



COMMODORE BARNEV. 



151 



are as well with you for the present, but should I want them you 
shall be informed in due time. 

' Your discharge from the service of the public, an act of 
necessity and with your own approbation, cannot obliterate the 
honor you acquired nor wither the laurels which you gained in 
that service. The plough-share now is preferable to the spear. 
You are on shore making a better provision for a rising pro- 
geny of Barneys than you could hope for, from being a peace- 
able ship-master, otherwise I am persuaded you could not re- 
main a day unemployed in that branch. 

' With every good wish to yourself and family, in which 
my son desires to join, I have the honor of assuring you 
that I am, 

Sir, your obedient and most humble servant, 

Henry Laurens. 

*Capt. Joshua Barney.' 



CHAPTER XII. 



Reflections on Captain Barney's change of life. — He establishes himself in 
commerce : — me^ts with heavy losses : — has a third son born : — his mother 
takes up her residence in his lamily : — he purchases a tract of land in Ken- 
tucky :— visits Chaleston, Savannah, and Kentucky: — becomes a great 
favorite with the ' Huiiiers of Kentucky' •. — returns to Ualtiuiore : — takes 
an active part m favor of the adoption of the Constitution : — violence of elec- 
tioneering meetings : — the State Convention adopt the constitution — ratifica- 
tion of the same by Congress ; — gr^md procession in honor of the event : — he 
rigs up and commands a miniature ship on the occasion: — 'Federal Hill' 
nam.d. — He fits his litile ship for a voyage : — enters Annapolis by invitatioa 
and is hospitably entertained : — pursues his voyage to Mount Vernon . — pre- 
sents the Ship to Washington, in the name ol the Ship-Masters of Balti- 
more : — is kept nt Mount Vernon for a week; — retuins to Bdltimore by 
land. — Mrs Washington arrives at Baltimore ; — and invites him to accom- 
pany her to New Voik. — The Governor and Troops ol Pennsylvania meet 
them at Gray's Ferry : — grand collation : — Mrs ]\I orris joins the travellers 
to New York. He meets his Iriend Mr Morris : — is introduced to the 
Secretary of the Treasury : — corresponds with him on the subject of the 
Revenue: — is ofTf red command of a Cutter and declines : — is appointed 
Clerk of the District Court of Maryland: — gives up the office in a short 
time: — is appointed by the Legislature Vendue Master: — establishes a 
Warehouse m c<injuncti(m with a Partner: — business goes on prosperously. 
He pi ejects a voyage : — leaves the business to his Partner, and visits Carth- 
agena and Havanna: — fimls a daughter bom on his return. — l)e;ith of his 
mother; — his filial piety. — He undertakes a^iother voyage on a larger 
Bca'e: — the Firm pui chase the Shin ' Sampson' : — he makes a trading 
voyage to the French Islands: — finds several friends at St Domingo. — 
makes a fortunate voyage to Havana and returns to Baltimore, for another 
cargo. — He sails again immediately for Cape Francois — sells his cargo at great 
profit : — dieadful state of thi ;gs at the Cape : — battles between the inhabi- 
tants in the streets : — the town is fired; — women and children take refuge 
on board his ship: — he makes a daring attempt, and succeeds in saving his 
property : — has to fight aaa nsi both paities: — sails for St Marks : — is rap- 
tured by three English Privateers : — retakes his ship — and brings her into 
Baltimore. 

A NEW era now opens ii|)f)n us in the action of our narra- 
tive ; and the reader who has fnllnwed thus far the active and 
eventful career of hs subject, will be called upon to contemplate 
his character under another aspect. The qualities which most 
certainly lead to distiii'tion in the tumultuous and agitating 
scenes of war, are not always the best fined for a successful 
cultivation of the arts of peace, and we must not be surprised, 



MEMOIR OF COMMODORE BARNEY. 153 

if we find, that the adventurous intrepidity, uprightness of pur- 
pose and plain-dealing of our honest sailor, too often exposed him 
to be over-reached by the cunning, and grovelling artifices, of 
trade. Before we enter upon this new portion of our task, 
however, justice both to ttie reader and the subject requires, 
that we should look back for a mament at some of the stages 
we have passed. — Ciptain Bu'iiey was not, like most of his 
brother-officers in both branches of the service, returning to 
a mode of life with which he had been previously familiar, but 
was now to begin a course of action totally different from all 
the habits of his youth and manhood. It will be recollected 
that he was not twelve years old when he left his father's roof, 
with but little advantage of education, to commence bis chosen 
career : — for the four succeeding years, it may be Hterally said 
of him, that 

' His course was on the mountain wave 
His home was on the deep' — 

and though that interval was replete with romantic and rare 
adventures for a boy, it afforded him but few opportunities of 
acquiring any otber than professional instruction : — at sixteen, 
he became a ' rebel' in the cause of his country, thus changing 
his service, but not his profession : — but now, after nine years 
of toil, and peril, and glory in that service, and thirteen years 
of exclusive devotion to that profession, we find him released 
from the one, and resolved to abandon the other — precisely at 
that moment when the habits of life, and modes of thinking, 
are beginning to acquire a rigidity and fixedness not easily ac- 
commodated to new forms and changes. As his friend Mr 
Laurens, who seems to have known him well, intimated in his 
letter, he could never have set himself thus quietly down, had 
the alternative been anything else than his becoming ' a peacea- 
ble ship-master' — but the change from the busding activity of 
a ship of war to the humble command of some poor defence- 
less hulk in ' the merchant-service,' would have been a far more 
serious ' breaking up' of old associations, than that which he 
decided upon : it was better to be a merchant and command 
other captains, than a captain and be commanded by other 
merchants. We are very certain, however, that his choice was 
determined by a much less selfish consideration, — he had 
hitherto been able to devote but litde of his time to domestic 
concerns — he had a young and growing family, whose welfare 
he thought would be best secured by his own personal cares 
and protection j and he had, during the last year of his service, 



154 



MEMOIR IF 



laid by a sufficient capital, if managed with prudence, to give 
thetn a comf )rtable siip[)ort. 

We have heretofore mentioned that young Barney, was the 
jirst individ iial to nnfnrl the banner of the Union, in l)is native 
state — in October, 1775 : it is a remarkable coincidence, that 
he was also the last officer to quit its service, in July, 1784 — 
having been, for many months before, the only officer retained 
by the United States. His native city, Baltimore, was the 
scene of both incidents; — and though the circumstances of 
the war had carried him to a (hfFerent theatre of action, and 
reflected upon a sister city the glory of his achievements, yet 
did his fellow-citizens evince, by the honors which they paid 
him, that they claimed a full participation in the merit of having 
sent forth so gallant a champion. His return to Baltimore was 
greeted with every demonstration of welcome that could gratify 
his pride ; and the declaration of his intention to fix here his 
future residence, was received with liberal offers of assistance 
and friendship from all descriptions of citizens. 

Such were the favorable auspices under which our gallant 
sailor returned to (he place of his nativity, and commenced his 
new career of commerce, in partnership with a near connexion 
of his wife, (by marriage) in the autumn of 17S4. In addition 
to these advantages at home, he was honorably known to some 
of the first merchants abroad ; he had friends in England, 
France, Spain, and Holland, who only wanted an opportunity 
of showing their high confidence in his integrity, and their 
sincere desire to render him a service. — Fn short, it must be 
acknowledged, that no man ever entered into business with 
greater advantages, or more brtlliant prospects : but in spite of 
all, he found, after a little while, that, instead of advancing with 
the rapidity of his usual progress in enterprise, there was great 
danger of a retrograde movement. His own remark on this 
occasion is so expressive, that we cannot help quoting it — ' We 
did something, but I found not enough to keep my funds from 
sinking.'' By this it may be inferred, that he had furnished the 
whole of the capital, upon which the firm was trading, and 
from that consideration, had probably thought himself author- 
ized to leave the whole duty of managing it to the partner. 
He was prudent enough, upon discovering the unprosperous 
condition of affairs, to withdraw a portion of his funds from the 
sinking concern, and lay them out in the purchase of a large 
tract of land in the wilderness of Kentucky, in the hope that 
he might thus secure something for his children at a future day. 
To show in what way his losses in trade occurred, we men- 



COMMODORE BARNEY. 155 

tion one or two facts, from which the reader may easily con- 
jecture the nature of many others that continued to fall heavily 
upon this ill-managed concern. — He made a shipment of a 
parcel of merchandize to the Havana, the sale of which pro- 
duced an enormous profit. The amount of sales was paid, in 
specie, into the hands of an agent, who, instead of remitting 
the money, presented himself in person and unblushingly de- 
clared that he had appropriated the money to his own uses, and 
was a bankrupt. — On another occasion, he imported a large 
amount of French wines, which, finding no sale for them in 
Baltimore, he reshlpped to New York, where they were still 
less wanted — thence he sent them to the West Indies, where 
they were sold as vinegar, at prices that of course did not 
pay the expenses : thus, in his own words again he ' continued 
doing a bad business.^ 

Throughout the whole of the year 1785, we find but a sin- 
gle memorandum in his journal, and that records the 

1785 birth of ' a third son,' in January. We must not omit 
to mention, however, as an evidence of his filial respect 

and affection, that in the early part of this year, he persuaded 

his mother to take up her residence in his family, which she 

never afterwards quitted. — In 1786, in addition to his 

1786 regular business, |ie became concerned, as a 'sleeping 
partner' — we believe such is the phrase — in a specu- 
lation with another house, which turned out even more ruinous 
to him than his own firm, for not a dollar of his advances ever 
came back to him. In the autumn of this year, he was induced, 
by the hope of being able to recover something from his Ha- 
vana agent, who was then in that part of the country, to visit 
Savannah and Charleston, where he met with so many of his 
'revolutionary' associates, and so much kindness and hospitaliiy, 
that his stay was prolonged among them until the month of 
March in the following year. He had in the meantime caused 
suit to be brought against his delinquent agent, from whom, after 
several years of ' the law's delay,' payment was at last ob- 
tained. 

In November, 1787 — having passed the previous summer at 
home, and very much, as the proverb has it, 'like a 

1787 fish out of water' — he set out to explore his purchase 
in the western country. He crossed the Alleghany 

mountains to Fort Pitt — now Pittsburg — and thence travelled 
to Wheeling, where he crossed the river, and wintered among the 
straggling settlers, and native tenants of the forest. The scene 
was new to him, and he enjoyed the rough but hearty kindness 



156 



MEMOIR OF 



with which these independent hunters welcomed him to their 
rude huts and ' hoe-cake.' In the course of the winter, he be- 
came such an adept in the use of the rifle, that he could ' hit a 
squirrel in the eye,' with as much precision as the best of their 
practised shooters, and thus won for himself a name of more ac- 
count, in the wilderness, than that which he had gained in the 
waters of the Delaware. — He saw his tract of land, but it did 
not seem to offer a single inducement for a very speedy occupa- 
tion, and with the first appearance of spring he retraced his 
road home, where he found iiis family increased by the addition 
of ' a daughter' born in his absence. 

It was in the course of this year — the 17th of September, 
1787 — that the delegates from the several States, who had been 
appointed to meet in convention at Philadelphia for the purpose 
of forming a constitution for the United States, completed their 
work, and sent it forth to their respective constituents for ap- 
proval or rejection. In the state of Maryland, there was found 
a powerful party opposed to the adoption of the constitution, and 
in the election of delegates to a state convention, by whom the 
important question of concurrence was to be decided, the con- 
test betvi'een the Federalists — or those who were in favor of 
adopting the constitution — and the Anti-federalists — or those 
who were for rejecting it — was carried on with a warmth and 
violence, that threatened to break asunder all social ties and re- 
lations. In this electioneering conflict, we may believe that Cap- 
tain Barney was not an idle looker-on — on the contrary, he at 
once took a decided stand in favor of the adoption, and became 
an active leader in all the preparatory meetings of the people, 
in Baltimore, more than in any other part of tl)e states an ex- 
citement existed, of which it would be difficult for the present 
quiet and peaceable generation of voters to form an idea ; town- 
meetings were held every night, and the whole population was 
kept in a state of continual ferment. On these occasions Bar- 
ney seldom failed to harangue his fellow-citizens, albeit but little 
used to speak except in the brief and energetic language of com- 
mand, and was generally listened lo with more attention than 
better orators ; but notwithstanding the strong parly which always 
followed him as their Palinurus, at one of these meetings he 
received a blow from some concealed enemy, which had well 
nigh terminated his electioneering and his life at once. He was 
never able to discover from whom the stroke came, but he car- 
ried the mark of it on him to his grave. At length the day of 
•election came, and the party which he had espoused proved 
victorious — a delegate, friendly to the proposed constitution, 



COMMODORE BARNEY. 157 

was elected to the convention by a large majority, and he en- 
joyed the triumph as another achievement over the enemies of 
his country. 

On the 28th of April, 1788, the state convention, after an able 
and -animated debate, which forms a rich and lasting 
1788 monument of the talents that then adorned and enlight- 
ened the councils of Maryland, passed a resolution to 
adopt the constitution tvithout amendments. In July of the 
same year, eleven of the States having in the meantime declared 
in favor of the adoption, the instrument was confirmed and 
ratified by Congress. The people everywhere testified their 
joy at this happy event by some public demonstration — in 
Baltimore, a procession was formed, in which both parties, for- 
getting their recent feuds, joined in fraternal harmony. The 
mechanical trades — the liberal professions — all united in the 
procession, and respectively displayed_^their appropriate banners j 
but this showy exhibition of our fathers, has since been, on 
various occasions, so well imitated, and indeed so far surpassed 
in splendor, that we shall confine our account of it to the par- 
ticipaiion which the subject of these memoirs had in the pageant. 

— He had a small boat, fifteen feet in length, completely rig- 
ged and perfectly equipped as a ship, which was called the Fed- 
eralist ; which being mounted upon four wheels and drawn by 
the same number of horses, took its place in the procession : 
he commanded the ship, and was honored with a crew of cap- 
tains, who at his word and the boatswain's pipe went through 
all the various manoeuvres of making and taking in sail, to the 
great delight of the crowded windows, doors, and balconies by 
which they passed. The ship was immediately followed by all 
the captains, mates, and seamen, at that time in the port of Bal- 
timore — it was paraded through all the principal streets of 
Fell's Pointed id the other portions of the city, and finally an- 
chored on tprioeautiful and lofty bank west of the Basin, which 
from that oie jrrence received, and has ever since borne, the 
name of ' li^^deral Hill.'' On this spot a dinner had been pro- 
vided, at wiiiich four thousand persons sat down together, and 
made the welkin ring with shouts of ' Huzza for the constitution !' 

— This idea of carrying a full rigged ship in procession, origin- 
ated entirely with Captain Barney ; and though the frequent 
occurrence since of a similar pageant, in the grand displays 
which the ' Monumental city' of the present period is accus- 
tomed to make on great national occasions, has rendered it fa- 
miliar and common, we cannot doubt that its first appearance 
excited unbounded admiration. 

14 



158 



MEMOIR OP 



A few days after this first national procession in Baltimore, 
Captain Barney had his ship ' fitted for sea !' or, as he might 
with more propriety have said, for a coasting voyage, and set 
sail in her down the bay. Off Annapolis, he ' fell in with' an 
invitation to enter the haven which he accepted. Annapolis, 
for a century deservedly celebrated for its polish and refinement, 
its courteous hospitality, and urbanity to strangers, was never bet- 
ter entitled to the reputation than at the period of which we 
write, and we need not be surprised that an embargo was pro- 
claimed upon Captain Barney and his elegant miniature ship, 
for several days. Governor Smallwood met him on the quay, 
and honored his arrival with a national salute ; and then insisted 
upon his taking up his quarters in the government house : dinners, 
tea-parties, and balls, courted his acceptance from all the 
principal citizens — and, but that he felt it incumbent upon him 
to ' pursue his voyage,' he might have passed a month in a con- 
tinued round of elegant pleasures, which more resembled a 
Roman ovation than the reception of a private citizen. During 
the two or three days that he was thus hospitably entertained, 
the inhabitants of all ages and classes, and of both sexes, em- 
braced the opportunity of gratifying their curiosity by an in- 
spection of the beautiful Lilliputian ship, which was a spectacle 
as novel as it was interesting. 

Taking a grateful leave, at length, of his metropolitan enter- 
tainers, the Commodore made sail out of the harbor, and coast- 
ing along the right bank of the Chesapeake, until he came to 
the mouth of the Potomac, ascended that river to the modest 
and embowered retreat of the great Pater Patrice, — Mount 
Vernon was the ultima Thule of his expedition — the destined 
termination of his voyage ; and the sole object, to present the 
ship to Washington, in the name of the merchants and ship- 
masters of Baltimore, as a memorial of their gra^'ude, respect, 
and veneration, for the great achiever of their cou ^./'s liberties 
and independence. The retired Chief received ii n with his 
wonted kindness and courtesy, kept him a week i . , r the hos- 
pitable roof of Mount Vernon, and by his easy, uul ' emonious, 
and affectionate treatment, made him feel that he \vl.s regarded 
as a member of the family. The accomplished orator, of Ar- 
lington, the adopted son of Washington, was then a little boy, 
of eight or nine years old, and no doubt, if this page should 
chance to fall under his eye, the incident will be ' freshly re- 
membered' by him, together with the delight which his young 
heart enjoyed at being permitted to make several * cruises' up 
and down the river, in the ' little ship,' under the skilful pilotage 



COMMODORE BARNEX". 



159 



or the Commodore : we know that he is fond of looking back 
to these days of his boyhood, and if we could be certain of 
having awakened a single pleasurable reminiscence in the 
* time-honored' orator of Liberty, from whatever clime the cry 
of her struggle reaches him, we should experience a gratifica- 
tion equal to his own. 

After his hebdomad of familiar intercourse with the world's 
wonder, this unambitious great man, — in comparison with 
whom the heroes of history, and the military chieftains of modern 
times, sink into oblivion or the darker shade of contempt — 
our honored and delighted friend returned to Baltimore. From 

this time, he seems to have remained quietly with his 
1789 family, until the summer of 1789; when it happened 

that Mrs Washington parsed through Baltimore, on her 
way to join the General, wlio had a little before been unani- 
mously elected First President of the United States, and who 
was then in New York. Upon his calling to pay his respects to 
this much venerated matron, she did him the honor to express 
a desire that he would accompany her to New York. The 
offer of an admiral's commission could not have elated him 
more : it not only gratified his pride, but humored that rest- 
less propensity which he felt, in common with young Rapid, to 
'keep moving.' To travel at all, by sea or land, was always a 
pleasure to him : but to travel as the chosen escort of the Pres- 
ident's lady, was to enjoy an envied distinction, as well as a 
pleasure — it was an incident in his life worthy to be remem- 
bered. — At ' Gray's Ferry' near Philadelphia, then a place of 
fashionable resort, Mrs Washington and her little party, whose 
approach had been expected, were met by Governor Mifflin, at 
the head of his State troops, and received with the honors due 
to the family of the beloved Chief Magistrate. A splendid 
collation had been previously prepared for the occasion, at 
which the principal citizens of Philadelphia were present, to 
welcome the arrival of the President's lady, who received the 
homage paid to her, not as an appropriate tribute to her own 
modest, unassuming worth, but as an offering, far more accep- 
table in the view of such a wife, to the patriotism of her beloved 
and honored husband. After the repast, she was escorted to 
the city by the governor and his troops, and remained for several 
days to gratify the citizens with the opportunity of showing 
how much they esteemed her. — Mrs Robert Morris, the ac- 
complished lady of Barney's old friend, joined the party from 
Philadelphia to New York, where her husband was then in at- 
tendance upon his senatorial duties. The journey to New 



160 



MEMOIR OP 



York was happily accomplished. Captain Barney had a cham- 
ber assigned him in the President's house, and once more be- 
came the honored inmate of this illustrious family. Mr Morris 
expressed great pleasure at seeing him again, and introduced 
him to Mr Alexander Hamilton, the Secretary of the Treasu- 
ry, who, never losing an opportunity of seeking information 
from intelligent men, had several conversations with him on the 
subject of the revenue, which led to a request from Mr Ham- 
ilton that Captain Barney would do him the favor to think of 
the matter when he returned home and comn)unicate his ideas 
to him by letter. This, Captain Barney did not fail to do, and 
the reply of Mr Hamilton — which is the only part of the cor- 
respondence we possess — shows that he regarded the sugges- 
tions made to him as worthy of consideration.* — While upon 
this subject, we might as well anticipate a few months to say, 
that Congress at their next meeting passed a law, authorizing 
the employment of revenue cutters, and that soon afterwards 
Captain Barney received a letter from Tench Coxe, Esquire,f 
written at the request of the Secretary of the Treasury, in 
which a desire is expressed to have his ' ideas on the best mode 
of conducting a cutter or two in the bays and sea adjacent to 
Capes Henry a«d Charles,' and to be furnished by him with 
' the names of some proper persons to command and officer 

Extracts of a letter from the Hon. Alexander Hamilton to Joshua 
Barjvey, Esq. — dated 

'New York, Oct. 29th, 1789. 

'The ideas contained in your letter appear to me solid and judicious. As 
far as my reflections have gone they coincide very much with the views 
you entertain of the mutter. At piesent notliing more can be done than to 
collect the information for some proper plan to be submitted to Congress at 
their next meeting; no power being at present vested anywhere for ma- 
king the requisite arrangements 

' Let me request you to continue to furnish me with whatever hints may 
occur (o you relating lo the security of the Revenue.' 

t Letter from Tench Coxe, Esq. to Joshua Barney, Esq. 

' New York, August I9th, 1790. 

' Sir, — From some conversation 1 have lately had with the Secretary of 
the Treasury, I find he is desirous of obtaining your ideas on the best mode 
of conducting a cutter or two in the bays and sea adjacent to ( "apes Henry 
and Charles — as also of being furnished with the names of some pioper 
persons to command and officer them. I am very certain that if such a sta- 
tion should be acceptable to you, Mr Hamilton would give your name every 
support in his power with the President of the United States. That you 
maybe enabled to judge both for yourself, and others whom you will ven- 
ture to recommend to a station that requires so much integrity, firmness and 
naval skill, I do myself the pleasure to inclose you an abstiact of the law, 
and am, with regard, 

' Sir, your obedient servant, 

Tench Coxe. 

< Joshua Barney, Esq, Baltimore.' 



COMMODORE BARNEV. 



161 



them.' — It is evident from tliis letter, that Mr Hamilton was 
desirous of inducing Captain Barney himself to enter into the' 
service of the revenue, but that he feh a delicacy in direct- 
ly proposing to him a command so unequal to his rank and for- 
mer services. The most respectful attention was gi.entoMr 
Coxe's letter ; but, it is needless to say, he did not take the 
hint of applying for himself — his suggestions were all adopted 
by Mr Hamilton, and the persons whom he named were ap- 
pointed. 

Soon after his return from New York, Captain Barney re- 
ceived the unsolicited appointment of ' Clerk of the District 
Court for the State of Maryland ' — an office much more hon- 
orable than lucrative, at that period. He accepted it, but held 
it only for a very short time, his natural disposition, as we have 
seen, being utterly averse to the drudgery and confinement of 
office — he gave it up to Mr Philip Moore who has continued 
to hold it, through all changes, from that time to the present. 

In November of this year, (1789) he was appointed by the 
General Assembly of Maryland, in conjunction with a merchant 
of higli standing in Baltimore, Vendue Master for Baltimore. 
This was considered to be a post of great profit, and the legisla- 
ture of his native State, in bestowing it upon him, intended to 
show their grateful sense of his past services. He and his 
partner opened their office in January, 1790, and the business 
went on so prosperously, that he began to look to it as 
1790 the certain means of comfortable support to his family 
for the rest of his life ; — and so, no doubt, it would 
have been, if he could have been content to give it his con- 
stant, personal attention. But his peregrinating humor ever 
and anon returned upon him, and excuses for gratifying it, 
satisfactory to himself and others, were always, like FalstatPs 
reasons, ' as plenty as blackberries.' 

In the course of the summer of 1790, he fancied that his 
health was very much impaired by his long residence ashore» 
and that of course nothing could restore it but a sea voyage — 
he was anxious to visit South America, the warm climate of 
which had been recommended to him ; and that the voyage 
might not be altogether without some commercial object, he 
induced his partner to join him in the purchase of a small brig, 
which he loaded with such a cargo as he thought would bring 
a good profit among the Spaniards, and in September found 
himseir once more upon the element in which he delighted. 
He bent his course first to Carthagena, which he had pictured 
to his imagination, not only as a paradise of all that was sweet 
14* 



162 MEMOIR OF 

and pleasant to behold, but as the very mint in which Spairt 
found her dollars ready coined. It was here that so many 
rich galleons had taken in their loads of treasure ; it was here 
that the British fleet and army had made such sacrifices for 
victory: — he found it a wretched, filthy ' hole,' with poverty 
and misery legibly stamped upon every living thing in it. He 
left it in disgust, and steered for Havana — a city he was 
already acquainted with. Here he found a ready sale for his 
cargo, and the mild and genial climate had so benignant an in- 
fluence on his health, that he was seduced by it to remain until 
April of the following year, when he returned home with ren- 
ovated spirits and invigorated strength. As usual, after a 
voyage, he found another addition to his family when he got 
home — an incident which he always seemed to record with a 
grateful feeling to Providence for the blessing : he had now five 
children — four sons and a daughter, all of whom, it was a mat- 
ter of boast with him, were born when he was at a distance from 
the bustle and trouble of 'old women, cake, and caudle,' and 
the ordinary et-cetero of ' such times ! ' But he had one cause 
of sincere grief, while he remained at home this year, (1791) 
in the death of his aged mother, whom he had loved with the 
tenderest afteciion. — She died at his house, to which, 
1791 as we have before mentioned, he had persuaded her to 
remove soon after he had established himself in Baltimore. 
The voyage turned out ' so well,' and there seemed to be so 
little occasion for his personal attention to the Vendue business 
— besides that his health was ' so much better at sea' — an- 
other expedition was soon planned, upon a larger scale, and we 
may consider the captain as having once more returned, heart 
and soul, to his ' first love. ' — The little brig was sold, arid a 
fine copper-bottom ship, called the ' Sampson,'' of three hun- 
dred tons burthen, was purchased by the firm. As this com- 
mand, boih in its incidents and results, was one of the most 
important he ever undertook, we shall endeavor to place its 
history before the reader with all the minuteness and accuracy 
of detail we can collect from the materials before us. — Having 
taken on board a large sum in specie, a quantity of Jlour, partly 
on account of the firm, and partly on freight, and a parcel of 
dry goods, he sailed from Baltimore in the beginning of au- 
tumn, 1791, for Cape Francois, in Hispaniola. On arriving 
here, he found the negroes in the inception of that ferocious 
and sanguinary revolt which ended in the establisliment of the 
' Republic of Hayii.' Among the agents of the French Gov- 
ernment at the Cape, he met with intimate acquaintances and 



COMMODORE BARNEY. 



163 



was welcomely received ; but finding that there was no prospect 
of selling his flour or dry goods to advantage, he left his ship 
at (he Cape, and went with a part of his cargo to St Mark's, where 
he was fortunate enough to dispose of it. He then returned to 
Cape Francois, laid out his specie in the purchase of coffee, 
and sailed for Guadaloitpe, which island was, from various 
causes, in a state of trouble and distress but little less than that 
of Hispaniola ; he left it, therefore, without effectin? either sale 
or purchase, and proceeded to Martiniijue : here he sold his 
coffee, and purchased wine, but not finding a full cargo, he re- 
turned to GundaJoupc and there completed his loading — thence 
he proceeded to St Eustatia, where in the course of a few 
hours he took in one hundred and twenty bales of goods on 
freight, and returned to Cape Francois, with the expectation of 
being there able to dispose of his wine. But he found the 
market at the Cape overstocked with that article, at the moment, 
and proceeded with it to Port au Prince, without being more 
fortunate. At this place he freighted a small sloop and sent 
her along the coast, but found still no success in getting rid of 
his wine. In a state of despair as to the fate of his specula- 
tion, he returned once more to Cape Francois, where he ar- 
rived at one of those lucky moments that sometimes occur in 
trade, and sold all his wine at a profit of more than tivo hun- 
dred and fifty per cent I This was an ample recompense for 
the delay in finding a market. He remitted a part of the pro- 
ceeds in bills and sugar to his partner, and with the remainder 
purchased a cargo suited to the market of jHrtronrr; where 
he arrived at another fortunate moment, and doubled his money. 
Here he took in a cargo of sugar and molasses, and returned 
to Baltimore — not, however, as considering his voyage com- 
pleted, but that Baltimore formed a point in the extensive and 
hazardous scheme of trade he had planned. 

He arrived at Biltimore late in March, 1792, having been 
somewhat more than six months trading among the 
1792 French and Spanish Islands in the West Indies. He 
remained only long enough to land his sugar and molas- 
ses, and take in a cargo of flour r id provisions, and before the 
end of May had again arrived at C'ape Francois. — There was 
not a barrel of flour or provisions in the market but his own, 
and his profits upon the sale were of course enormous. While 
he was receiving payment in sugar and coffee, an unfortunate 
dispute occurred between the agents of the Government, and 
the army and navy officers,, which drew the whole town into its 
vortex. The white inhabitants took part with the latter, while 



164 MEMOIR OF 

the mulattoes and blacks ranged themselves under the banner 
of the former. A regular engagement look place between these 
parties, in the streets, in which the agents and their colored al- 
Hes, "succeeded in beating the troops and driving the white 
inhabitants to seek refuge on board the ships. During the en- 
gagement, the town was set on fire in various places, as was 
generally believed by the retreating party : but it would be 
perhaps impossible to decide, where both parties seemed ready 
to throw off all restraints of humanity, to which the real incen- 
diaries were attached. Battles continued to be fought, and the 
fire to rage, for three days — and all vestige of a regular govern- 
ment seemed to be obliterated. At the commencement of the 
tumult, Captain Barney had a quantity of goods and a large 
sum of money in a storehouse on shore, which he could find no 
opportunity of taking on board : in this situation all he could 
do was to conceal the money as well as might be done by 
heading it up in one of the hogsheads of coffee — if the 
coffee itself should not be stolen, of which there was not much 
danger, the more portable article would be safe. He had 
barelv time to effect this measure, before he was compelled 
to seek his own safety from the increasing mobs by retiring on 
board his ship. On the second day of the conflict, when both 
parties seemed to be pretty well worn out with their murderous 
achievements against each other, he determined to make an 
effort to bring off his money and such of his merchandize as 
could be conveniently handled ; for this purpose he armed his 
crew, landed with them in the two boats, and proceeded at their 
head towards his store-house. His design in arming was of 
course purely defensive, as it was neither his wish nor his inter- 
est to take part in the broil. — He was dressed a Je Danton — 
not exactly .sffns cu/o</e5, but — with nothing on but his shirt and 
a pair of sailor-trowsers, a cartridge-box slung over his shoul- 
der, a musket in one hand, and a sword in the other — his men 
had, each, a musket. In his pro2;ress to the store-house, he 
was not much annoyed — he found his money safe, which he 
distributed in such parcels as his men could carry, and taking as 
many of the light articles as '.e could hastily colled, he com- 
menced his return march to his boats, leaving the sugar and cof- 
fee to the fate that might await them. His armed neutrality 
proved his safety, for every inch of his way was disputed, by 
both belligerents, who alternately attacked him in front and rear, 
and compelled him to fire upon all parties alike. In turning the 
corner of a street, he was met bv a huge mulatto chief, with 
several plumes waving in his hat, who levelled his musket — but 



COMMODORE BARNEY. 



165 



in the next moment received the ball of his wary antagonist, and 
fell upon his face, mortally woiintied,* but before he could re- 
load his musket, a party of the whites fired upon him from the 
rear ; and thus was he obliged to keep up a retreating fight 
until he reached his boats. He lost about two thousand dollars 
worth of his goods, but fortunately had none; of his men hurt. 
— There were at this lime nearly four hundred sail of vessels 
lying in the harbor of Cape Francois, on board nearly all 
of which the miserable fugitives, women and children, had 
sought protection. In the early part of the riot on the 
preceding day, fit'ty or sixty of these distressed beings had 
taken shelter on board the Sampson, and Captain Barney now 
found himself under the necessity of putting to sea, as indeed 
did all the rest of this large fleet. He proceeded to Limbe, a 
small port about six miles to leeuard of the Cape, and there 
remained for a few days until tranquillity was in some measure 
restored at the Cape, and he was informed by his friends, the 
agents, that he might return thither in safety. He had not been 
idle, however, while at Limbe, having taken in a large quantity of 
sugar which he had found an opportunity of purchasing here 
on very advantageous terms. On his retiu'n to the Cape, the 
women and children, who had remained all this time on board 
of bis ship, in a state of inconceivable anxiety and distress, 
from ignorance of the fate of fathers, husbands, sons, and broth- 
ers, whom they had left in the midst of the struggle for life and 
property, were permitted peaceably to land and seek their 
friends : how many of the unhappy creatures succeeded in 
finding their protectors, was never ascertained. — Captain Bar- 
ney, however, did not suffer them to depart, without an assur- 
ance of further protection, if necessary, and a promise to give 
them conveyance to the United States. Ten of them,^ women 
and children, did afterwards return to him, together with seven 
Frenchmen, whom betook with him to Baltimore. — It was 
conjectured, that about three thousand, whites and blacks, had 
perished in this terrible tempest of the human passions. 

The consequences of the fight and the fire together had depriv- 
ed the agents of the power to make up the balance of 
1793 sugar and coffee still due to Captain Barney for his 
flour and provisions, at the Cape, and they were obliged 
to give him orders upon St Marks, for which port he sailed on 

• The ball that struck this chief passed through his cross belts exactly 
where they crossed, and Captain Barney, notwithstanding the fire of both 
parties upon his men, went deliberately to him and took the belts from his 
body, — this was done in the twinkling of an eye . 



166 



MEMOIR OP 



the 1 1th of July, 1793. In addition to the merchandize he had on 
board about eij;hteen thousand dollars in specie. He was 
boarded on the 12ih by a New Providence privateer, called the 
Flying Fish, Captain Gibson, who examined his papers and 
money, and permitted him to proceed — two days afterwards, 
just at the entrance into St Marks, he was again boarded by 
officers from three privateers, two of them belonging to Jamaica, 
and the third to New Providence : the two former being satis- 
fied from an examination of his papers that both ship and cargo 
were neutral property, were disposed to let him proceed; but 
the New Providence man insisted that the iron chest was proof 
enough of its being French property for ' no American ever had 
had iron chests or dollars on board his vessel !' He was will- 
ing to let the ship go, if the money were given up, otherwise he 
would himself take the responsibility of making prize of the 
whole, and carrying her into New Providence ! — There was 
no resisting such reasoning; the two Jamaica captains were 
convinced hy \X — and as Barney persisted in the assertion of 
his neutral character and refusal to give up the ' iron chest,* 
they sent, each, an officer on board and several men, to the 
number of eleven in all, took out the crew, with the excep- 
tion of the carpenter, boatswain, and cook, and ordered the 
ship to New Providence. Captain Barney in vain demanded 
to see the commissions under which they acted, and from their 
subsequent conduct he had good reason to doubt the legality 
of their authority. It was equally vain that he begged to be 
carried into Jamaica rather than New Providence, not only 
because it was the nearest English port, but because of the 
risk in getting so large a ship into the latter harbor; they 
paid no regard either to his demands or solicitations, but made 
sail for New Providence. In the course of that afternoon Cap- 
tain Barney was further confirmed in his belief that the pretend- 
ed privateers were without commission, by falling in with anoth- 
er Englishman who spoke them, came on board, conversed 
with the prize master, cautioned Captain Barney to be watch- 
ful of his property, and openly asserted that he had fallen into 
the hands of ' villains.' 

This was a renewal of old scenes to our weather-beaten tar 
— he was once more a prisoner to the English I and that noth- 
ing might be wanting to recall to his mind the infamous treat- 
ment he had formerly received at their hands, the conduct of 
his present captors was, to the most vulgar excess, rude and in- 
sulting — ' revolutionary' epithets, which he had thought forever 
sunk in the Lethe of the treaty of peace, were fished up again 



COMMODORE BARNEY. 167 

from their bed of filth, and liberally applied to him — he waS 
once more a ' rebel rascal' — a ' yankee traitor' — and threats 
to ' blow out his brains,' and to ' throw him overboard,' were 
continually repeated in the most offensive terms. We cannot 
say, that the captain bore all this without retort — such patient 
endurance of insult was not in his nature, nor would he have 
been deterred from reply, had a thousand deaths stared him in 
the face; but we can say, that the treatment he received was 
wholly unprovoked, either by word or deed that ought to have 
had the effect of exciting the resentment of men conscious of 
honest and lawful designs. — His captors demanded all his keys 
— they wanted to riot in all the privileges of possession, before 
even the forms of adjudication had conveyed the right — they 
would have emptied his iron chest, rifled his trunks, and drank 
up his wines : he endeavored to save his property from plunder 
and waste, and thus brought upon himself the abuse and ill 
treatment, which finally detemined him to watch for and seize 
an opportunity of recovering his ship. He had every reason to 
believe that his life was not safe in such hands — his French 
passengers, who understood no English, were seriously alarmed 
at the savage menaces which the deportment of the English 
officers made quite as intelligible as language could have done, 
and they several times expressed to Captain Barney their fears 
that it was the intention of the captors to murder them all. On 
the evening of the 19th of July, five days after the capture, he 
had a conversation with his carpenter and boatswain, who told 
him that they had, each, a gun and bayonet concealed in their 
berths, and were ready to assist him at the risk of their lives — 
he himself had secreted a small brass blunderbuss and a broad- 
sword, and having agreed upon a signal to these men, he left 
them to prepare for the favorable moment. The following day, 
the weather was squally and the privateermen were kept busy 
all the morning — the three officers took their dinner on deck, 
seated on the hencoop, near the mainmast; their men (except 
the one at the helm) dined at the same moment on the forecas- 
tle : — Captain Barney thought the time auspicious, and step- 
ping into the roundhouse, picked up his sword, which he put na- 
ked under his arm, took the blunderbuss in his hand ready cock- 
ed, and thus prepared returned to the quarter-deck — his car- 
penter and boatswain joined him in a moment, and he advanced 
upon the three officers : one of these closed with him and attempt- 
ed to wrest the blunderbuss from his hand, but in the scuffle it 
was fired and its contents (buckshot) lodged in the right arm of 
the oflScer, who immediately fell — being thus released, he knock- 



168 



MEMOIR OP 



^ flown a second officer with a blow of his sword across the 
ear, while the third ran below : — the seven men on the forecas- 
tle, in the meantime, being roused by the report of the blun- 
derbuss, instantly left their dinners and jumped into the fore- 
scuttle /or ^AezV arms ; but the carpenter and boatswain were 
upon their heels, and before they could pick up their arms, the 
scuttle was fastened upon them, and Barney was again master 
of the ship. It was not until all this was affected, that his 
French passengers made their appearance on deck, and offered 
their assistance to make sure the victory already gained. The 
three officers were secured — and the men were willing to sub- 
mit to any terms. He suffered them to come up from the 
scutde one by one, and then had all their arms, consisting of 
muskets, swords and pistols, eleven of each, thrown overboard. 
When this was done, he summoned them all before him and 
made them such an address as the occasion dictated and justified 
— he told them that they had seized his vessel for no other 
reason than because they were the strongest — that they had 
taken advantage of that strength to ill treat and abuse him, to 
plunder and waste his property — that, now, the tables were 
turned : he was the strongest ^ and by their own rule of action, 
had a right to put them all to death ; but that he was willing to 
allow them the choice of two alternatives — if they would agree 
to work the ship to Baltimore, he would pay them wages and 
there discharge them — or he would give them his small boat, 
as much provision as she could carry, and set them adrift on the 
ocean. It is unnecessary to say, they unanimously 'chose the 
first alternative — but there was a condition annexed to this — 
he gave them very distinctly to understand, that if he ever saw 
one of them attempt to speak to one of the officers, or an officer 
to one of them, he would that instant put the offender to death. 
The officers very soon became most humbly submissive ; made 
a thousand apologies for their ungendemanly conduct; begged 
Captain Barney's forgiveness of the insults they had heaped 
upon him ; and acknowledged the justice o( his present retalia- 
tion. The captain himself daily dressed the wounded arm of 
the officer who had been shot — the other who had been knocked 
down by the sword was more alarmed than hurt : he had scarce- 
ly a scratch upon his ear. The course of the ship was chang- 
ed for Baltimore, and the passengers now for the first time be- 
came of some use in watching the movements of the men. — 
Captain Barney, himself, never left the deck for a moment, 
nor did he once close his eyes during the nights, but took the 



COMMODORE BARNEY. 169 

necessary repose in the day, in an arm-chair on deck, with his 
sword between his legs, and pistols in his belt — his cook or the 
boatswain, walking the while beside him, armed with musket, 
sword, and pistols. No person was ever permitted to come 
abaft the mainmast, under penalty of death, unless especially 
called. The passengers kept faithful watch, and tlie men 
were true to their agreement, having indeed no chance to be 
otherwise ; for it was not difficult to comprehend the firmness 
and intrepidity of the man they had to do with, and they never 
for a moment doubted that their lives would have been the for- 
feit nf any attempt to rebel against his authority. 

In this state of watchful anxiety and fatiguing toil, Captain 
Barney arrived safely at Baltimore in the beginning of August. 
He waited immediately upon the British Vice Consul there, and 
gave him a full account of the v,-l)ole aftair, offering to place at 
his disposal the officers and men of the privateers, provided he 
would become answerable for their appearance, in the event 
of a demand being made for them by the executive of the 
United States ; which, he added, he did not doubt would be 
done as he was firmly convinced that the privateers had neith- 
er commission nor authority to capture his ship. The vice con- 
sul refused to receive the officers, on the condition of beino- 
responsible for them, and Captain Barney sent them on board 
tlie revenue cutter — he paid the men the wages they had 
agreed to receive from the day of the recapture, and discharged 
them according to promise. On the following day, he was in- 
formed by the British vice consul, Mr Thornton, that the officers 
had shown to him a coprj of a commission, from the commanders of 
their respective privateers ; and upon this assurance, though the 
officers had refused, or were unable, to show to him, any com- 
m'ssion, authority, or copy of a commission, from any source 
during the whole transaction, he nevertheless immediately re- 
leased them. — A statement, drawn up by Captain Barney, was 
afterwards forwarded to Mr Jefferson, then Secretary of State 
and the affair became the subject of correspondence between 
the two nations. The country was just then beginning to be di- 
vided into new parties, one of which espoused the cause of the 
French revolution, the other became the warm friends and eu- 
logists of their late enemy, the English ; and this afJair of Cap- 
tain Barney with the English privateers, was in turn applauded 
and censured, in no measured terms, as it happened to be dis- 
cussed by the one or the other party. 

He had thus been compelled to return to Baltimore without 
15 



110 MEMOIR OP COMMODORE BARNEY. 

having completed his voyage, and leaving a debt due to him by 
the Administration of St Domingo of upwards of thirty thousand 
dollars. This was too large a sum to trust to the hazard of the 
rapid changes then occurring in the government of that devoted 
Island : the present agents were his personal friends ; but it was 
difficult to say how long their power might hold, and he deter- 
mined to lose not a moment in returning to secure these remain- 
ing profits of his voyage. 



CHAPTER XIII 



Historical Reflection. — Captain'^B. arms his sliip to protect her from insult, and 
sails again for Cape Francois. — He makes a lucrative sale of his cargo : — 
departs for home in company with a Frencli Letter of Marque : — is captur- 
ed by the British frigate Penelope: — ungentlemanly conductof Captain Row- 
ley : — B. is carried into Jamaica, and deUvered to the custody of the Marshal: 

— civility of thatofiicer : — bail is entered for him : — he is tried for ' Pira- 
cy' and ' shooting with intent to kill :' — abusive language of the lawyers ; 

— he is acquitted: — great rrjoicing among tlie'crnwded nudience in the 
Courthouse. — Tiic Sampson and cargo condemned as lawful prize: — he 
enters an appeal. — Great interest felt by the government at home, on hear- 
ing of his capture and trial : — active measures taken by Washington to in- 
sure his safety : — his friends in Baltimore fit out a vessel — obtain letters 
from the British Minister to the Governor of Jamaica — and especial per- 
mission from the government to go to his relief: — they arrive after his ac- 
quittal. — Cowardly demeanor of Captain Rowley. — Adventure in the 
public Coffee House. — He sails from Jamaica with his friends : — his ad- 
venture with an Embargo breaker : — safe arrival at B.iltimore. — He goes 
to Philadelphia: — calls a meeting of Ship masters: — their petition to 
Congress. — Animadversions of his enemies. — He is appointed one of six 
Captains in the Navy : — is dissatisfied with the relative rank assigned him, 
and declines it : — his reasons for it explained : — rank in the revolutionary 
war. — His Bills on the French Consul-(ieneral not paid, he determines to go 
to France: — makes a contract for his Firm with Fouchet: — sails in the 
' Cincinnatus.' — Mr Monroe and family, and Mr Shipwith, lake passage with 
him : — takes his son William with him — arrival at Havre : — reflections on 
the state of the country : — arrival at Paris. — Mr Blonroe appoints him to 
present the American Flag to the National Convention : — he receivesy/a- 
fernizaiion : — is offered a commission in the French Navy, but declines. — 
Ceremony of depositing ihe ashes of Rousseau in the Pantheon. — He is 
robbed of the Sword presented by Pennsylvania ; — goes to Bordeaux ; — set- 
tles his commercial eng<igemenlis and returns to Paris : — adventures on the 
road. — Scarcity of fuel in Paris. — Anecdote of his landlord. — Ordinance 
respecting Bread : — anecdote of his Baker. 

The avowed purposes of the British government, in declar- 
ing war against the French Republic, at the very moment the 
latter was ushered into existence, were to repress the operation 
of revolutionary principles among its own subjects, and io pre- 
vent the French system — ^or ia others words, the awakened 
spirit of liberty, independence, and self-government — from 
spreading on the continent of Europe. In the prosecution o 
these purposes — not the less illiberal and selfish because their 
own safety was supposed to be involved in the success of their 



172 MEMOIR OP 

measures — the British rulers very soon forgot, or ceased to 
think it worthy of notice, that there were nations in the world, 
to whom it Was a matter of jierfect indifference whether they 
or their adversaries succeeded, and who had certain natural, 
indefeasible rights, with which it was neither within the legiti- 
mate province, nor according to the former customs, of belli- 
gerent powers to interfere. Their great maritime superiority 
taught them to ' feel power and forget right,' in the most odious 
sense of that trite phrase ; and the seas, which the God of na- 
ture designed as the free ' high-way of nations,' were subject- 
ed to novel and arbitrary regulations, as capricious in their 
modes of operation as they were burthensome in their effects, 
and founded upon no jusier principle than the savage maxim 
me penes est. — Great Britain, in short, chose to regard the 
French Republic as a political Ismael against whom it was the 
religious duty of every nation to lift the sword, and herself as 
the selected champion of Heaven, whose divine right it was 
impious to dispute. It was about this period, that she com- 
menced against the United States that odious and insolent sys- 
tem of search, impressment, and wanton insult, which continu- 
ed for twenty years to harass our commerce, distress our citi- 
zens, and degrade the national character. 

Captain Barney was neither disposed to abandon a lucrative 
trade which he had a lawful right to pursue, nor to submit tamely 
to the insults of a power that chose to look upon it with an evil 
eye. We have said that he determined to return immediately 
to St Domingo, for the recovery of the large sum still due him 
by the government agents of that Island, and which he had 
been so unexpectedly compelled to leave behind him, by the 
lawless interruption of the English privateers. But he deter- 
mined also to put his ship in a condition to resist the insolence 
of such petty cruisers in future, and with the consent of his 
partner, he armed her with sixteen guns and thirty men ; in 
addition to which he had thirty Frenchmen on board as pas- 
sengers. He arrived at Cape Francois on the 1st of October, 
1793, at a moment when the agents were about to leave that 
port ; and he was induced, upon tlieir promise not only to dis- 
charge their debt upon his former cargo but to purchase that 
whicli he now brought, to lollow them, first to Port de Paix, 
thence to St Marks, and finally to Port au Prince. At this lat- 
ter port their engagements to him were honestly fulfilled — they 
took his cargo at high prices, for which they gave him in return 
cotton, sugar, coffee, and indigo ; and for the balance of the 
last voyage he received bills on the French Consul at Philadel- 



COMMODORE BARNEY. 173 

phia. The cargo he now received was valued atfiftyfive thou- 
sand dollars, and with a fair prospect of great profit, he sailed 
from Port au Prince on his return to Baltimore, on the last of 
December, in company with a French letter of marque ship. 
Two days afterwards they fell in v;ilh an English privateer, 
schooner, which made an attack upon the letter of marque, 
but after the exchange of a few shots between them, •dbandori- 
ed the enterprise and stood off. The next day, being still in 
company, they were chased by a frigate, which soon came up 
with the Sampson, and sent a boat on board with orders for the 
Captain to repair on board ' His Majesty's frigate Penelope, 
Captain Rowley.' This gentleman scarcely condescended to 
look at the papers of the ship — whether he had previously 
known Captain Barney, or had been excited by having re- 
cently heard his name in connexion with the recapture of his 
ship, does not appear — but his reception of Captain Barney 
on board was accompanied by a flood of vulgar abuse and 
scurrility, which would have disgraced the deck of a fish-boat. 
Provoked beyond the patience of his temper. Captain Barney 
instantly retorted with as much severity of language as he could 
command — he told Captain Rowley that he was a coward, to 
use the advantage of his situation to insult a man, whom he 
would not dare to meet upon equal terms, at sea or on shore — - 
that the opportunity might come for retaliation, when he should 
remember the j)oltron who commanded the English frigate Pen- 
elope ! — Captain Rowley did not sufier him to finish his re- 
ply, but ordered him between two guns, and placed a sentinel 
over him, to whom he gave orders, if he spoke or attempted to 
quit the space allotted to him to ' blotv the rascal's brains out ! ' 
— He next took out all the crew of the Sampson, and the pas- 
sengers, and ordered the ship for Jamaica, whither he followed 
with the frigate, after having first come up with and captured 
the French letter of marque that had been in company witli 
the Sampson. 

On their arrival at Port Royal, in Jamaica, Captain Barney 
was called up in the middle of the night, and sent in a boat to 
Kingston, where he was taken before the Clerk of the Admi- 
ralty and examined — after which he was led before several 
sitting Magistrates, and by them committed to prison. The 
Marsha], Mr Frasier, who was ordered to take him into custody, 
offered him his own house as a prison, and behaved to him with 
great kindness and civility — treatment which no man was ever 
more ready to acknowledge, in friend or foe, than Captain 
Barney, as the reader has had more than one occasion to ob- 
15* 



174 MEMOIR OF 

serve. It was probably by the advice of this friendly officer^ 
that Captain Barney sued out a writ of Habeas Corpus, ibat 
he mi2;ht be removed to Spanishioum, the capital of the Islands, 
and the residence of the Chief Judge. Upon being brought 
before this hish judicial functionary and examined, he was im- 
mediately admitted to bail, upon the recognizance of Mr Balen- 
tine, of the House of ' Balentine and Fairly,' who were 
1794 his friends not only on this but on every other occasion, 
where their services were needed. — His ship was 
brought to the wharf, discharged, and everything delivered into 
the possession of the Agent of the Frigate. 

After considerable delay, the session of the Admiralty Court 
came on, and the Grand Jury found two Bills against Joshua 
Barney — the one for '■Piracy'' — the other for 'shooting with 
intention to kill.' But these formidable indictments, enough to 
alarm men of ordinary nerves, created no uneasiness in the 
mind of the accused, particularly as he was still permitted to be 
at large upon the bail already given. He had not yet lost his 
confidence in the integrity of British Admiralty Courts, and 
felt strong in the consciousness that, in retaking his own ship, 
he had done nothing more than was justifiable by the laws of 
God and man. It was, to be sure, something unexpected, that 
an affair which was at that moment in discussion between the 
two governments, should be brought against him by a colonial 
tribunal, which must unavoidably act upon ex parte evidence, 
since none of the persons who had been with him in the ship 
were present to give testimony in his behalf: he had supposed, 
when required to give bail, that the accusations against him 
would be confined to the matter of his present capture, but 
still he was willing they should inquire into the transactions of 
his whole life, for if governed by a regard for equity he was 
satisfied no jury could be found to pronounce him guiUy. On 
the day set for his trial, which did not take place until March, 
he was among the first individuals in the Court-room : when 
the Court opened, he was called to the bar, and allowed to sit 
down — his fiiend Mr Balentine occupied a seat near him ; an, 
immense audience filled the courtroom, chiefly composed of 
captured Americans, who were then waiting their own trials, or 
rather the decision of the court upon their vessels. Mr Attor- 
ney General opened the case in a speech of considerable length, 
in which he chose to indulge himself in great severity of remark 
upon the lawless conduct of tliis piratical American, and his 
attempt to murder the subjects of His Majesty in cold blood. 
He was followed by one of the most distinguished advocates 



COMMODORE BARNEY. 175 

of the place, who had been employed by the government to 
assist in the prosecution : he tried to excite the passions and 
prejudices of the jury by an appeal to their loyalty — he char- 
acterized the prisoner at the bar as a hJood-thirsty jacobin, an 
outlaw, who had received the fraternal hvg from the infernal 
nest of sans culottes in St Domingo — he hinted at the daring 
insolence he had recently shown to one of His Majesty's officers, 
whose great humanity alone had prevented him from saving the 
jury the trouble of this trial, by a summary sentence of death 
upon this old and hardened offender ! — Several witnesses were 
examined for the prosecution, the principal one of whom was 
the officer who, in the struggle to wrest the blunderbuss from the 
hands of the prisoner, had received its load of 'buckshot in his 
arm — the same cowardly wretch, who had afterwards, in the 
most humble manner, begged pardon of Barney, for his drunken 
insults, and justified him for his retaliation. This fellow, in his 
eagerness to convict the man to whose humanity and kindness 
he had been indebted for the cure of his wound, as is often the 
case with over-anxious witnesses, |)roved rather too much — 
and so completely satisfied the jury of his own unwortliiness of 
credit, that when the prisoner's counsel got up to address them, 
they intimated that it was unnecessary ! a general movement 
took place in the crowd, the jury rose from their seats, and the 
Judge, commanding silence, asked them if they had anything 
to say — their foreman answered that the jury had made up 
their minds, and he thought there was no occasion to waste the 
time of the Court in listening to a i-eplij to what had been said. 
Tiie usual question was then asked by the clerk of the Court, 
and a verdict rendered of ' Not Guilty ! ' — The Judge re- 
marked in an audible whisper, that he perfectly coincided with 
the opinion of the jury, and then turning to the prisoner at the 
bar, said, ' Sir, you are at liberty to withdraw ! ' — An imme- 
diate Dnstle and stir from all quarters announced the general 
satisfaction at the verdict — for even among the English part of 
the audience Captain Barney had many friends who were sin- 
cerely rejoiced at this full and honorable acquittal. They retir- 
ed to a tavern, where many of the jurors soon after joined 
them, and a large company dined together and spent the after- 
noon in convivial festivity. 

It was not altogether a friendly interest in the fate of Cap- 
tain Barney, which had led to this general rejoicing at the ver- 
dict of the jury — for many of the Americans were entirely 
unacquainted either with his character or person, and could not 
therefore be supposed to feel more sympathy for him than 



176 MEMOIR OF 

would have been called forth upon any ordinary case of simi- 
lar nature ; but there were unfortunately not less than sixty 
captured American vessels then lying at the port, brought in 
under the first famous ' Orders of Council' of June, 1793, and 
the issue of his trial was regarded as a favorable indication of 
the dispositions of the Court and jury, from which each man 
drew an augury of security for his own property. Alas ! their 
hopes were doomed to cruel disappointment : not a single 
vessel, we believe, escaped condemnation. — The trial of the 
Sampson next came on ; but there was no longer 3. jury — and 
the Judge had exhausted his complaisance in the personal trial 
of the captain and owner : he gave sentence of condemnation 
against ship and cargo as lawful prize to His Majesty, to which 
Captain Barney's counsel immediately entered an appeal, but 
with little chance of more justice, at a moment when the ' Mis- 
tress of the Seas' was at once the maker and expounder of 
national law. 

Captain Barney had not failed, by the first opportunity that 
occurred after his arrival at Jamaica, to give information of his 
capture to his friends at home ; and when put upon trial for his 
life, he addressed a statement of the case to his government, 
which produced an immediate action in his behalf. A serious 
remonstrance was made by the Secretary of State lo the British 
minister at Philadelphia, and General Washington was so 
warmly interested in the safety of his gallant countryman, that 
he threatened a fearful retaliation in the event of any personal in- 
fliction upon him. The effect of this interference of the 
government in his behalf, though it proved to be unnecessary, and 
came too late to be of service had his personal safety been de- 
pendent upon it, was nevertheless made visible, to an extent 
extremely gratifying to Captain Barney, before he left Jamaica. 
While he was seeking the means of returning to the United 
States, after the condemnation of his vessel and cargo, a Pilot- 
boat arrived from Baltimore which had been despatched ex- 
pressly for him. A strict embargo existed at the moment in all 
the ports of the United States ; but an especial permission 
had been obtained from the President for this occasion — 
the boat had been fitted out by his friends in Baltimore, 
and manned by volunteers zealous and eager to bring him 
relief: such eagerness and anxiety, indeed, did they manifest 
on his account, that though their boat was dismasted by a gale 
in the Gulf stream, instead of putting back to refit, they deter- 
mined to proceed with their oars and sweeps, and such jury- 
masts as they could rig up from the spars on board ; and thus 



COMMOnURE BARNEV. 



177 



succeeded in reaching Jamaica, after incredible labors and fa- 
tigue, nearly exhausted and worn out. Tliey brought des- 
patches from the British minister to tHe Governor of the Island, 
the nature of which may be inferred from their effect upon His 
Excellency, who sent immediately for Captain Barney — assur- 
ed him of his ignorance of the predicament in which he had 
stood ; gave him a polite invitation to dine with him : and made 
him the bearer of bis answer to the despatches of the niinister. 
All this, however, was but little calculated to compensate the 
captain for the loss of his vessel and cargo ; of which he could 
not help thinking he had been robbed, witli as little show of rea- 
son or justice as the highwayman can offer, who takes the purse 
of the traveller with a pistol pointed at his head. But the ar- 
rival of the pilot-boat, (manned as she was by individuals who 
had given such proofs of personal attachment,) and the know- 
ledge of the interest which his case had excited at home, were in- 
deed sources of consolation, from which he could not only draw 
present relief and contentment but future gratification and hap- 
piness. 

During the day or two that he continued at Jamaica, after 
the arrival of the pilot-boat, he had reason to be c )iifirmed in 
the opinion he had formed, and expressed, of, and to, the com- 
mander of the frigate Penelope — that he was a poltron who 
would not dare to face him upon equal ground. Previous to 
the trial for piracy, Captain Rowley was in the habit of show- 
ing himself in the streets every day ; but after dje acquital of 
Captain Barney, he was never seen on shore! If this had 
been the only evidence, however, of that officer's unworthy bear- 
ing, we should have passed it over without notice ; but he de- 
scended to a meanness that deserves to be exposed. — As Captain 
Barney was walking the street, alone, one evenhig about dusk, 
he heard a voice from the opposite side of the way calling out 
— 'Barney, take care of yourself! Look behind you!' — 
He whirled upon his heel immediately, drawing a pistol from 
his pocket at the same instant, and perceived a stout ruffian in 
sailor's apparel, with an uplifted club in his hand, which but for 
the timely warning he had received, would in another moment 
have felled him to the earth from behind. The sight of the 
pistol presented at him induced the ruffian to drop his club and 
run off — it was afterwards ascertained, to the complete satisfac- 
tion of Barney and his friends, that this fellow had been employ- 
ed by Captain Rowley! — On another occasion, being in a 
cofTee-house, where a number of persons were assembled in 
various groups, he heard his own name mentioned in abusive 
language, coupled with the expression of a wish by the speaker, 



178 



MEMOIR OP 



that he ' could meet with the rascal !' — He walked deliberately 
up to the group from which the voice proceeded, and discovering 
his abuser to be an office?- of the Penelope, announced himself 
as the person the other seemed so desirous 'to fall in with' — 
the officer declined any efibrt to carry his threat into execution, 
and Barney tweaking him by the nose, kicked him out of the 
coffee-house, to the no small amusement of the Americans 
present, and, what was somewhat more surprising, to the appa- 
rent gratification of a number of British officers both naval 
and military, who made a part of the company. The disgraced 
officer was not seen in the coffee-house afterwards, so long as 
Barney remained. 

The moment the little pilot-boat was new masted and prop- 
erly refitted. Captain Barney embarked, with his mate and as 
many of his former crew as he could take, and sailed for Balti- 
more. — It was the singular fortune of this extraordinary man, 
never to be at sea, in any situation, without encountering an ad- 
venture of some sort. On the passage home, they spoke a 
small schooner, that said she was from North Carolina, bound 
to St Augustine. Barney inquired if the embargo had been 
raised ; and the negative reply from the schooner convinced 
him, that she was bound to some of the British Islands in viola- 
tion of the law : he determined at once to take upon himself 
the responsibility of stopping her, and for that purpose boarded 
and took possession of her, in the name of the United States. 
The skipper, finding it 7io joke, then confessed that he was 
bound to New Providence with corn and flour. — Barney, with 
no other authority than that which belongs to every good citizen 
who feels himself an integral part of the nation, put an officer 
and men on board and ordered her to follow him to Baltimore. 

— On his arrival there, he went immediately to Philadelphia to 
report to the government what he had .lone ■ — his conduct re- 
ceived the approbation of Mr Randolph then Secretary of State 

— the schooner was tried and condemned under the laws of 
the United States, and Barney incurred the lasting hatred of all 
the British partisans in the country.* 

It was in the beginning of May, 1794, that he arrived in 
Baltimore, after his last unfortunate voyage with the Sampson : 
the embargo law would expire, by the terms of its limitation, 
on the 25th of the same month : — he had been long enough 
in a British Island, not only perfectly to comprehend the pow- 
erful operation of the eiubargo system, strictly enforced, upon 
the vital interests of the English colonies, but to have his indig- 

• See Note A, at the end of Appendix. 



COMMODORE BARNEY. 179 

nation frequently excited by the contemptuous treatment to 
which the American flag was constantly exposed. He believed 
that, while it was the policy of the United States to observe a 
peaceful neutrality between the belligerent powers, it ought to 
be their policy also to withdraw from all intercourse with either; 
for the best faith in the prosecution of the most undoubtedly 
lawful and honest trade, would not save the nation from the 
wanton insolence and degrading insults of British cruisers, 
which would naturally become more aggravating and oppres- 
sive in proportion to the lameness of our submission, until dis- 
grace and contempt would follow the name of American wher- 
ever it was heard. He was convinced that the only alternative 
to war, by which we could hope to maintain anything like re- 
spectibility, was the continuance of non-intercourse : he was 
sure, from the observations he had been enabled to make, that 
a strict observance of the embargo for a few months longer, 
would compel the British government, either to abandon their 
colonies, or repeal their offensive and arbitrary innovations upon 
the law of nations — flour was ^iffty dollars a barrel when he 
left Jamaica ! the same was the case in all the British Islands. 
Induced by these impressions, Captain Barney, while he re- 
mained in Philadelphia, caused a number of hand-bills to be 
struck off and distributed everywhere through the city, inviting 
a meeting of all the masters and mates of vessels then in the 
harbor — a large concourse, in consequence, assembled at the 
time and place indicated, where he attended and made himself 
known as the author of the call ; he gave them a round tale of 
his ' experiences ;' spoke of the treatment American captains 
received from British officers ; mentioned the near state of 
starvation to which they were reduced in the Islands by our 
embargo, which he considered, in the absence of war, the 
only measure which promised a hope of humbling the haughtiness 
of Great Britain, and restoring us to the freedom of the seas ; — 
and closed his brief address by proposing that all present should 
enter into an engagement not to go to sea, netwithstanding the 
expiration of the embargo, for a period long enough to enable 
Congress, which was then in session, to act upon the information 
recently received. — The proposition was received with a 
burst of patriotic enthusiasm, and every individual present de- 
clared his readiness to sign an agreement not to sail for ten days 
after the term of the embargo law sh.ould expire. A petition 
was immediately got up which was signed by all, praying Con- 
gress to renew the act establishing non-intercourse, and the 
meeting dissolved. — The meeting, the petition, and their objects 



180 MEMOIR OP 

produced considerable commotion in Philadelphia ; the partisans 
and agents of the Britisli government, of whom there were al- 
ways a great number in our country, native and foreign, who 
did not seem to possess a single American feeling upon any 
question of policy between the two governments, made a pro- 
digious effect to destroy the petition, and unfortunately succeed- 
ed. — Congress did nothing — the ten days elapsed — and mil- 
lions of American property again floated upon the ocean to 
become the prey of British ' Orders in Council.' 

Immediately after this affair Captain Barney returned to his 
family in Baltimore. — It has been said, by somebody or other 
that a man who has no enemies, cannot deserve to have friends. 
We think it has been made sufficiently clear that the subject 
of this narrative not only had friends, hul deserved to have them 

— the reader will not be surprised, therefore, if he have any 
faith in the apothegm, to learn that he had also his due share of 
enemies : — all the ' refugees' and ' tories' of the Revolution — 
the ' skulkers' who fled from its dangers, but were among the 
first to claim a share of its advantages — these and all connect- 
ed with them, were his revilers and calumniators, his sworn 
enemies at home and abroad. They did not hesitate to call 
him a pirate, and there can be no doubt they would have seen 
him hung with infinite pleasure. But all their efforts to destroy 
him in the good opinion of the government, and more especial- 
ly of General Washington, failed ; and he received immediately 
after his return from Philadelphia, the highest proof which could 
be given of the approbation and continued confidence of that 
great and good man. — He was appointed to command one of 
{he six ships, which Congress had just determined to provide as 
the nucleus of a naval force. In the letter accompanying the 
notice of his appointment. General Knox, then Secretary of War, 
tells him that ' it is to be understood that the relative rank of the 
captains are to be in the following order — John Barry, Samu- 
el Nicholson, Silas Talbot, Joshua Barney, Richard Dale, 
Thomas Truxton ! ' — The officer whose name we have itali- 
cized, had been a lieutenant colonel in the revolutionary army, 
and as a compliment to his distinguished merit. Congress in 
1779 gave him a commission of captain in the navy ; they 
passed a resolution at the same time directing the Marine Com- 
mittee ' to provide a proper vessel for him as soon as possible,' 

— but either this was never done, or Colonel Talbot did not 
choose to risk his laurels upon an element with which he was 
totally unacquainted, and the resolution of Congress remained 
a dead letter, except as a well merited compliment Icr gallant 



COMMODORE BARiSEV. 



18 



military achievements. Colonel Talbot did not command a 
vessel of any description either during the Revolution, or a 
any subsequent period previous to his present appointment as 
one of the six captains. It appears from the Secretary's 
letter — for we have no other evidence of the fact — that 
Captain Barney had heard of the nominations, and of the pro- 
posed order of relative rank, before he left Philadelphia, and 
had expressed his dissatisfaction so loudly as to reach the Se- 
cretary's ears and induce him to add the following paragraph to 
his letter — it is dated, ' June 5th, 1 794' — and we lay it before 
the reader for the purpose of adding a few words, in justice to 
our subject, to show the loose and irregular manner in which 
ranl{: in the naval service was bestowed and enjoyed during the 
Revolution. The extract follows : ' Since the nominations to 
the Senate were made known, it has been said that you would 
not accept the appointment, on the ground that Capt. Talbot 
was junior in rank to you during the late war. That the reverse 
of this was the case, will fully appear, by the inclosed resolve 
of Congress creating Col. Talbot a captain in the navy on the 
19th of September, 1779; whereas it appears from the lists 
that you continued a lieutenant to the end of the war. Re- 
spect to the justice of the President of the United States re- 
quires that this circumstance should be mentioned.' — Now it is 
very certain, notwithstanding ^\hat ' appears from the Jists,^ that 
in May, 1782, Joshua Barney received the appointment of Cap- 
tain in the navy of the United States from the President of the 
Marine Committee, and did actually command a ship of 20 
guns from that period ' to the end of the war,'' on services which 
could not have been entrusted to ' a lieutenant.' He was not 
only addressed in all official communications as ' Captain,' but 
bore a letter from the President of Marine, on the occasion of 
his expedition to Hispaniola, directing one who does appear on 
the list, as captain, to obey his orders. But even before this 
period, the State of Pennsylvania had honored him with the 
name, rank, and command, of Captain ; and no one who knew 
the subject of these remarks, or who has followed thus far the 
narrative of his life, could for a moment believe that he would 
have gone back to an humble rank after having once enjoyed a 
higher. He wore the uniform, received the pay, and emolu- 
ments, and commanded everywhere the respect due to a Cap- 
tain in the navy ; and if his name was not on ' the lists' as such 
it only shows, as we have said, the irregular and careless manner 
in which such ceremonies were attended to during the Revolu- 
16 



182 MEMOIR OF 

tion, and how little he himself thought that a question would 
ever arise, as to the vahdity of the title under which he was ac- 
quiring such renown. His name does not appear on thelists at 
all until theSOdi of July, 1777, and then as ' od lieutenant' — 
it is notorious that the Marine Committees were empowered by 
Congress, to oppomrlieutenants in the winter of 1775-6 ; and 
it is equally certain, that, by virtue of this power, Barney re- 
ceived the appointment of lieutenant early in 1776 — not third, 
for he never served in a lower rank than second in command, on 
board any vessel during the Revolutionary war. This is anoth- 
er proof that ' the lists' were not to be depended upon, as showing 
a correct state of the rank of our Revolutionary officers. — We 
have deemed it proper to offer these considerations to the read- 
er, in justification of the answer which Captain Barney made 
to the Secretary's letter. — He did not hesitate a moment in his 
course, but on the very day he received the letter, 7th of June, 
he declined an appointment which placed him in an order of 
rank below Captain Talbot. He wrote to the Secretary, that 
he did not deem it necessary to enumerate all his objections — it 
was sufficient for him to say, that a mere resolve of the Congress of 
1779 giving an honorary rank, ought to have no weight, when it was 
considered that, from that time to the end of the war, Lieutenant 
Colonel Talbot was never once employed as a captain in the 
j^Pvy — that a subsequent resolve of Congress, passed in May, 
1781, had called in all the old commissions, and that new ones 
had been then issued, which virtually rescinded the resolve of 
1779, except so far as it conferred honor on Colonel Talbot — 
that at the last period his own commission had been renewed, 
but that no new commission had been then given to Colonel 
Talbot, who neither before or after that time had served in the 
navy, and who was therefore clearly no better entitled to have 
rank above him than any other lieutenant colonel of the Revo- 
lutionary army. 

It was certainly from no feeling of disrespect, either for the 
judgment of the President, or the character of Colonel Talbot, 
that Captain Barney so promptly refused to accept the appoint- 
ment offered to him. He did full justice to the merits of that 
gallant officer ; but taking into consideration the facts, that he 
had not only never served in the navy, but had never even been 
at sea but once, and that he could not therefore in the nature 
of things be supposed capable of navigating or fighting a ship, 
he felt that he could not without lowering himself in his own esti- 
nuition consent to place himself in an order of rank which, by a 



COMMODORE BARNEY. 183 

concurrence of possible circumstances, might subject him to 
the orders of one unquestionably his inferior in nautical skill 
and experience, and certainly not superior in courage or intre- 
pidity. There have, it is true, been instances of men becom- 
ing distinguished naval commanders, whose early life had been 
passed in very different pursuits ; and if we are not mistaken, 
one of the most gallant of our naval officers of the present day, 
who gained high renown by his brilliant achievements during the 
war of 1812 on the ocean, was educated for the peaceful pro- 
fession of physic, and actually practised medicine for several 
years before he entered the navy. But it must be admitted, 
that such ' Admirable Crichton' examples are rare, and ought 
never to be suffered to interfere with the justice due to individ- 
uals in other professions who have served their regular appren- 
ticeship. Upon the whole, we cannot believe that Captain Bar- 
ney ought to be censured for his conduct on this occasion ; and 
that it did not change the respect and good feeling of the gov- 
ernment towards him, we have the most pleasing proof in the 
fact, that on the very day that General Knox received his letter 
declining the appointment, the name of his eldest son, William, 
then in his fourteenth year, was enrolled as a midshipman, and 
stands, if not the very first, among the first names entered of 
that class of officers. 

It will be remembered that, in speaking of the last voyage of 
the ship Sampson, we mentioned that the government agents of 
St Domingo, instead of paying their debt due upon a former car- 
go in the produce of the Island, gave to Captain Barney bills 
or drafts upon the French consul general at Philadelphia, to the 
amount of thirty three thousand dollars. When the ship and 
cargo were captured and condemned at Jamaica, there was 
some cause of consolation to the captain in the reflection that 
he should not lose everything ! His drafts of course were safe, 
and he congratulated himself that such an arrangement had been 
made ; but it was now become very doubtful whether the bills 
would be eventually of any more value to him than his sugar 
and coffee had been. The French consul general was either 
unwilling, or unable, to pay them when presented, and there 
wassolitde stability either in the forms or agents of the French 
government, that apprehension might well be entertained of a 
total loss, unless payment were pressed without delay. Under 
these circumstances it was thought advisable, that Captain Bar- 
ney should proceed immediately to France, and make personal 
application to the ruling powers at Paris. The ship Cincinna- 



184 MEMOIR OF 

tiis, belonging to the commercial House of ' Oliver and Thomp- 
son,' was then lying at the wharf nearly ready for sea, and not 
only a passage to France, but the command of the ship on her 
voyage out, was politely offered to Captain Barney. — It is 
proper to state, however, that the recovery of the St Domingo 
debt vv'as not the sole object of this sudden expedition to France. 
While in Philadelphia, Captain Barney had held frequent inter- 
views with the French minister, Fouchet, which resulted in the 
formation of a contract, by which the former stipulated, for him- 
self and his partner, to deliver a large quantity of flour at cer- 
tain ports in France, on highly advantageous terms, and it 
became necessary that some confidential agent should be on the 
spot to receive the cargoes and attend to the collection of their 
several sales. There could be no agent so proper as one of tlie 
firm, particularly one so well acquainted, not only with the 
language but with most of the then leading men in France, 
and thus the duty naturally devolved on Captain Barney. 

It so happened, that while he was preparing to embark with 
his eldest son already mentioned, whom he designed to place at 
an academy in France, James Munroe — our late most w^orthily 
venerated President — who had just been appointed Envoy 
Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to France, arrived 
in Baltimore with his family for the purpose of seeking a passage : 
we need hardly say, that he was highly gratified to find an op- 
portunity of embarking with an old friend and so distinguished 
a seaman. He was accompanied by Mr Fulwar Skipwith, also 
recently appointed, Consul General for the United States at Pa- 
ris ; and the company was further increased by the addiuon of 
a French gendeman, by the name of Le Blanc, who was re- 
turning from St Domingo, where he had been serving as one of 
the commissioners of the French Republic. If it was regarded 
as an instance of good fortune by these gentlemen, that they 
could secure a passage under the auspices of one so well quali- 
fied to command a ship, in every peril of war or weather, it was 
no less a subject of gladness to Captain Barney, that he should 
be able to strengthen his application to the French government, 
by the influence of the American minister. — The passage 
could not fail to be agreeable — they were favored with pleasant 
weather, and arrived at Havre de Grace on the 30th of July, 
just thirtytwo days after leaving Baltimore. Mr Munroe found 
it necessary to remain a few days at Havre, to allow his family 
to recover from the fatigues of the voyage, and as Captain Bar- 



COMMODORE BARNEY. 



185 



ney had been kindly pressed to join his suite, they all travelled 
together to Paris, where they arrived on the ;]d of September 
— a few weeks after the sanguinary monster, Robespierre, had 
met the retributive justice of that guillotine from which, by his 
orders, such a constant stream of blood had flooded the streets 
of Paris. 

An agreeable and interesting novelist of the present day, 
has said in one of his late productions, that ' there are no truer 
cameleons than words, changing hue and aspect as the circum- 
stances change around them, and leaving scarce a shadow of 
their original meaning.' It was impossible for an American to 
arrive in France at this period, without being struck with the 
difference of signification attached to the terms liberty and 
equality, here and in his (tR'n country ; they seemed to be no 
longer the same words — and most certainly they were not ihe 
signs of the same ideas. The universality of the use of these 
magical springs of the revolution was equally a subject of aston- 
ishment to the rational republicans of the United States : men, 
women, and children, all alike seemed to understand them as 
conferring the right to say and do as they pleased, beyond which 
the words, to them, had no meaning. It was easy to perceive, 
however, amidst the follies and extravagances of such an order 
of things, that much good had already been effected by the 
revolution, and that some of the most enlightened men of the 
age, actuated by the purest principles of patriotism and philan- 
thropy, were engaged in the task of teaching their countrymen 
the true nature of freedom, and the proper use of the rights 
they had recovered from the darkness and despotism of centu- 
ries. Time only seemed to be wanting to insure to their plans 
of government the stability necessary to give security and hap- 
piness to the people. 

On the 14th of September, only eleven days after his ar- 
rival in Paris, our minister, having determined to present the 
American flag to the National Convention with some degree of 
ceremony, fixed upon Captain Barney to be the bearer of it, 
with a suitable compliment to the French nation. The flag 
was received by the Convention with loud and enthusiastic 
cheers, from the whole body of members ; and as soon as 
silence could be restored it was moved that Captain Barney 
should be admitted into the sitting and receive the fraternal 
embrace of the President. This being accomplished with the 
usual ceremony of a hug, and a kiss upon each cheek, a dis- 
tinguished member rose in his place and proposed that their 
16* 



186 



MEMOIR OP 



new brother, citoyen Barney, should be employed in the navy 
of the Republic — a resolution to that effect was passed im- 
mediately and unanimously, and the Minister of Marine was 
charged with its execution.* But great as this unexpected 
compliment was, it did not suit the views of Captain Barney to 
accept the service offered to him at that moment. He felt 
himself bound first to attend to the objects which had brought 
him to France, in which his partner's interests were involved 
with his own ; the vessels in which the flour had been shipped 
from the United States, to supply their contract with Fouchet, 
were beginning to arrive in various ports of France, and it be- 
came necessary for him to give his whole attention to that business 
before he could think of what concerned himself only, whatever 
might be his wishes or intentions, on the subject of the unsolicit- 
ed honors paid him by the National Convention. 

Finding that the Committee of Public Safety had not the 
means of paying him in specie, as had been the agreement of 
their Minister in the United States, he was compelled to accept 
other arrangements, which it occupied all his time and com- 
mercial ingenuity to turn to advantage. He applied in the first 
place, to the National Convention, for payment of the St Do- 
mingo claim, and obtained a decree from that body, by which 
the debt was provided for in the settlement of the French 
claims against the United States. He then obtained an arret 
from the Committee of Public Safely, for the payment of the 
flour delivered, partly in cash, and partly in merchandize and 
produce, at the prices of 1189, previous to the issue of assignats 
— these prices to be ascertained by sworn appraisers. Wines 
and brandies, were to be delivered at Bordeaux, to which port 
he accordingly ordered all the vessels which had arrived else- 
where with their flour. 

Just as he was himself preparing to set out for Bordeaux, 
the Minister of Marine offered him the command of the Al- 
exander, a 74 gun ship, recently captured from the English : 
it was a great temptadon, but several reasons operated to pre- 
vent his acceptance of the honor — he would not leave the 
affririioi his firm unsettled: and, if he should determine after- 
guards to enter the French Navy, it would be for the sake of 
commanding a cruising frigate, that he might have an oppor- 
tunity of repaying to the English some of the complitnetits he had 
received at their hands, and especially their recent treatment of 

" Sec Note B. at the end of Appendix. 



COMMODORE BARNEY. 



187 



him. A line of battle ship, he knew, would afford but few, if 
any, such opportunities; and besides, such a command would 
subject him to the orders and discipline of a fleet, which he had 
been too long his own master to think desirable. He therefore, 
after making a suitable return to the Minister, pursued his 
original intention. 

He was detained a few days in Paris, to witness the grand 
ceremony, which had been decreed by the National Conven- 
tion, to honor the memory of Jean Jacques Rousseau, whose 
remains were to be deposited in the Pantheon ! Mr Monroe, and 
all the Americans at Paris, were especially invited to be pre- 
sent. On the appointed day, the citizens assembled in the gar- 
den of the Tuileries : the concourse was, perhaps, greater 
tlian ever before met on any occasion ; it seemed as if the 
whole population of Paris had united in one moving mass. 
The urn, containing the ashes of Jean Jacques, was placed on 
a platform, erected over the centre of the basin of the principal 
jet cfeau in the garden, where it remained until the procession 
was formed and prepared to advance : it was then taken down, 
and, surrounded by all the trappings of mourning, removed to 
the place assigned it in the procession. The American min- 
ister, and the citizens of the United States who accompanied 
him, were placed immediately in front of the members of the 
National Convention, who appeared in official costume. The 
American flag — so recently presented to the Convention by 
Mr Monroe — preceded the column of Americans, borne by 
young Barney and a nephew of Mr Monroe, — an honor to 
which the National Convention itself appointed them. A tri- 
colored cordon, supported by the orphan sons of Revolutionary 
soldiers, ' Les eleves de la JYation,'' crossed the front, and led 
down each flank of the two columns composed of Americans 
and the members of the National Convention. These youths 
were all dressed in blue jackets and trowsers, and scarlet vests, 
and were several hundreds in number. — The procession 
moved from the Palace of the Tuileries, down the principal 
avenue of the garden, to the Place de la Revolution — thence, 
by the Boulevards, through the Rue St Honore and other prin- 
cipal streets, to the Pont JYeuf, and thence to the Pantheon. 
The windows of every house from top to bottom, on either 
hand, throughout the whole extent of the march, were crowded 
with full dressed females, waving their handkerchiefs and small 
tri-colored flags — while from every story of each house a large 
flag of the same description permanently projected. The dis- 



188 MEMOIR OP 

tance from the Palace of the Tuileries to the Pantheon, com- 
puting the meanderings of the procession, was about two miles. 
Arrived at the Pantheon, Mr Monroe and his suite were the 
only persons permitted to enter with the National Convention, 
to witness the conclusion of the ceremony ! 

As the commodore returned late to his lodgings, the evening 
before he left Paris for Bordeaux, he was a little startled to find 
a dark lantern and a small iron instrument lying on the floor 
of his room — he had the key of his door with him, and found 
it locked as he had left it : a short examination discovered to 
him that he had been robbed, and he soon found that his room 
had a second door concealed behind an article of furniture so 
as to escape his previous notice. His desk had been opened, 
and the money it contained — which was fortunately not a large 
sum — together with his gold eagle, the badge of the Cincin- 
nati Society, had been taken away ; but all other losses were 
nothing compared to that of the sword which had been present- 
ed to him by the State of Pennsylvania : it was indeed a sub- 
ject of heartfelt grief to him. He made every possible effort, 
but without success, to discover the thief: though he had after- 
wards strong grounds, as he thought, to suspect the landlord, in 
conjunction with his own servant. 

On his arrival at Bordeaux, he found, to his great disappoint- 
ment and chagrin, that it would be impossible to obtain his car- 
goes of wines and brandies for several months. It was now 
the last of November, and the winter was beginning to show 
itself with some severity. He could not think of detaining a 
large number of chartered vessels at Bordeaux for three or four 
months, and he therefore determined to load immediately the 
few that he could find cargoes for, and discharge the remainder 
without delay. While thus engaged, he was fortunate enough 
to dispose of his claim on the French government to an Amer- 
ican house at Bordeaux, for cash, which enabled him to remit 
to his partner at home the whole amount of the proceeds of the 
flour contract, except a small sum which he retained for con- 
tingent expenses. He was thus unexpectedly, and in a much 
shorter time than he had dared to hope, freed from all business 
concerns ; and believing that everything was finally, as well as 
satisfactorily, settled, he prepared to return to Paris, ready now 
to accept a commission in the service of the Republic, should 
the offer be repeated to him. 

That he might reach Paris with as little detention on the 
road as possible, he hired a post-chaise, and bargained to be 



COMMODORE BARNEY. 



189 



driven with the rapidity so habitual to him on other occasions. 
Whether it was this evidence of his restlessness on the road, or 
some other cause, that induced his postilion to think him worth 
robbing, or whether he was himself deceived as to the purpose 
of the postilion, it is certain that he very soon thought he had 
good grounds to suspect him of a design to betray him into the 
hands of banditti. He had more money with him, than he 
could very conveniently lose, and was therefore determined to 
keep a vigilant look out. One night, having reached a part of 
the road in a part of La Vendee which, from its dismal and solita- 
ry appearance appeared to be the fit haunt of robbers, the pos- 
tilion suddenly checked the speed of his horses, and in defi- 
ance of entreaties, remonstrances, and threats, persisted in 
restraining them to a walk, under pretence that it was too dark 
for him to see the road ; at length, at the foot of a winding hill, 
he stopped altogether and pretended to busy himself about the 
reins. Finding the fellow too obstinate to be moved either by 
menaces or promises, he took up one of his pistols, which he had 
kept ready on the seat by his side, and threatened to fire imme- 
diately if the rascal would not proceed ; the postilion, probably, 
either did not believe that he had a pistol in his hand, or trust- 
ed to the darkness to escape, for the threat had no effect upon 
him, and Barney pulled the trigger — fortunately for them bothy 
perhaps, the pistol burst in his hand ; but the report was enough ' 
to convince the fellow that the threat was no joke, and without 
waiting for a repetition of the order to proceed, he gave a tre- 
mendous crack with his whip, that almost rivalled the explo- 
sion, and was off in a moment at full speed up the hill : for the 
remainder of the stage, no man was ever driven more entirely 
to his satisfaction than our nocturnal traveller. At the next 
post, the driver of course did not fail to communicate to his suc- 
cessor what had occurred, and there was no further occasion 
to complain of delays on the road. 

During the whole of this winter, the weather was more in- 
tensely cold than at any former period within the memory of 
the oldest inhabitant of Paris. The Seine was frozen at an 
early period, and the usual supplies of fuel had consequently 
been cut off: — in the course of a short time, the article of 
fire-wood became so scarce that its price was advanced several 
hundred ^er cent. Captain Barney had entered into a written 
agreement with his landlord for furnished apartments, wood, 
lights, &ic, and for some time did not know of the distress 
which generally prevailed : the landlord, at length, refused to 



1 90 MEMOIR OF COMMODORE BARNEY. 

give him his usual supply — he sent for, and expostulated with 
him, but the only answer he could get was, that ' while wood 
continued at its present prices he was not going to be such a 
fool as to throw away his money to please his lodgers ! ' — His 
written contract was referred to, but still he seemed determin- 
ed to hold his ground — ''Very well, sir,' replied his lodger, 
very calmly, ' I shall take care not to want fire, while there is 
an article o{ furniture in my apartments that can serve as fuel,' 
— and suiting the action to the word, he took up a chair and 
prepared to break it up into fuel : the landlord never again re- 
fused his regular supply of wood. — The article of bread also 
became very scarce during the winter, and an ordinance was 
passed, prohibiting the bakers, under a heavy penalty, from 
furnishing to any individual, more than a pound of bread for 
twentyfour hours. While this ordinance remained in force, it 
was the custom for those who were invited to dine with a friend, 
or who made up parties to dine at a Restaurateur'' s, to carry 
their own bread in their pockets.* — Whether all the Paris ba- 
kers were as honest in their observance of the ordinance as the 
one who supplied Barney, or whether even he extended his lib- 
eral construction of it to others of his customers, we cannot 
undertake to say ; he caused it, however, to be made known to 
' Citoyen le Capitaine,^ that, as the reglement confined its re- 
strictions to bread, properly so called, if he would allow him to 
put tant soit pen of butter, or lard, into the flour, the mixture 
might be called pastry, and the ordinance thus evaded ! 

* The accomplished author of one of the most interesting works of the 
present day, — ' Memoirs ot the Empress Josephine' — gives the following 
confirmation of this singular fact : ' Throughout a considerable portion of 
the year 1795, so frightful a famine desolated France, that bread was sub- 
jected to a legal restriction both in quality and quantity, two ounces only, 
of a mixed flour, being allowed to each person throughout the sections of 
Paris. During this severe scarcity ,'gitesis invited to the tables of even the 
most opulent entertainers brought each their own allowance of bread.' 



CHAPTER XIV. 



Brief historical Review. — A commission a third time offered to Barney, which 
he accepts : — is ordered to Holland : — takes his son with him, and sends 
him to the U.S. from Dunkirk. — Treaty between the Republic and Hol- 
land : — recall of the French officers in consequence. — Commencement of 
Napoleon's career. — Barney purchases and fits out a Corsair : — his orders 
to her commander. — New organization of the Marine : — he is dissatisfied 
and resigns : — goes to Ostend, Flushing, and Havre de Grace ; — great suc- 
cess of his Corsair : — he purchases and fits out others in conjunction with 
several Americans — and returns to Paris. — The Minister of Marine offers 
to reappoint him, with the rank of Chef de Di^ion : — he accepts. — State 
of La Vendee : — character of General Hoche. — He proceeds to Rochfort : 
sails with two frigates to take command of the West India station : — inci- 
dents of the voyage: — arrival at Cape Francois: — goes in pursuit of the 
Jamaica fleet: — vexatious conduct of a Spanish Admiral, in consequence 
of which the fleet escape him : — his indignation : — sickness of one of his 
crews : — narrow escape from a British Squadron. — Dreadful tem- 
pest: — distressing condition of himself and crews : — the two frigates are 
separated : — the Harmonic dismasted and almost wrecked : — affecting 

scene on her deck. — He speaks an American vessel for Baltimore : 

agreeable disappointment — meets with the Railleuse dismasted i — they 
arrive at the Cape. — The Corsair: — remarks on the nature of Barney's 
orders : — defence against the calumny of iiis enemies. — He undertakes the 
culture of the sugar cane. — Anecdotes of Christophe — Toussaint L'Ouver- 
tun — Pierre Michael — Raimont. — Character of Sonthonak — splendors 
of his establishment. — Personal affair with Pascal. — Distressed state of the 
Island from the want of provisions. — He is solicited to take a contract for 
the supplies — accepts it — appoints an Agent to act for him in his absence 

— and sails with two frigates for the United States. — He arrives at Norfolk 

— state of his ships — he proceeds to Baltimore : — meeting with his 
family. 



The difference produced by the lapse of a few months in 
the state of affairs in the French capital, can hardly be 
1795 conceived by one who had not an opportunity of com- 
paring them, at the period of Robespierre's fall, and at 
the beginning of the present year. During the reign of that 
cruel and despotic monster — who, as far as the spilling of 
blood could do it, amply avenged the execution of Louis XVI. 
upon all classes of his judges — France was sunk into an abyss 
of infamy and degradation, which completely shut out her 
sufferings from the sympathies of the world, and left her the 



192 ' MEMOIR OF 

unpitied prey of the most horrible and terrific despotism, that 
ever existed in any age or nation. But from the moment of 
his fall, she began to recover, not only from the terror which 
his sanguinary decrees had spread over all classes of the peo- 
ple, but from the anarchy, licentiousness, and atheism, which 
had characterized every former stage of her revolution. There 
was a sudden and instant change for the better, in the very 
foundations of society — something like order and moral pro- 
priety began at once to show themselves, in the conduct of the 
people, as well as of their leaders — men of sound political 
views, enlightened, and, we may add, virtuous statesmen, patri- 
ots who desired the happiness of France more than their own 
aggrandizement, soon began to exercise the influence to which 
they were entitled, in the councils of the nation ; and for the 
first time, France might now be called, without degrading the 
term, a Republic, The Constitution of 1795 established a 
system of government, which promised, more than any that 
had been previously attempted, to secure the liberties, rights, 
and happiness of the l^bple ; and the friends of the rights of 
man, throughout the world, began to look, with something hke 
hope, to the issue of the struggle which this extraordinary peo- 
ple were now called upon to make, against the combined force 
of all the crowned heads in Europe. 

In this state of things, the subject of this narrative felt that 
it would be no degradation to fight under the flag of the repub- 
lic, and he waited in no small anxiety, after his return to Paris, 
to see whether he would be a third time solicited to enter its 
service. His anxiety, however, was of short continuance, for 
the moment the Minister of Marine became acquainted with 
his return, he offered him the commission of Capitaine de 
Vaisseau — a rank equivalent to that of Post Captain of the 
highest grade : he no longer hesitated to accept it ; and being 
ordered by the Minister to hold himself in readiness for imme- 
diate service, he set about making those preparations which 
such a change in his circumstances made necessary. 

But, though citoyen Barney had been thus ordered to pre- 
pare for immediate service, he was left to the undisturbed 
agremcnts of a residence in Paris, until the month of April, 
when, with a number of other naval officers under the com 
mand of Admiral Vanstable, he was ordered to proceed to 
Holland, where it was the purpose of the French government 
to officer the Dutch ships of war, which had fallen into their 
hands on the conquest of Holland the previous year. We 



COMMODORE BARNEY. 193 

have been disapjoointed at finding nothing in his journal on this 
occasion but the mere names of places at which he touched. 
He had taken his son with him from Paris, and, at Dunkirk, 
finding an American ship, with the commander of which he 
was well acquainted, he placed young William under his care 
to be conveyed home, much to the discontent of the youth, 
whose natural disposition so nearly resembled that of his father, 
that nothing would have given him so much delight as permis- 
sion to accompany him and share in all the vicissitudes of the 
active service in which it was expected he would be engaged. — 
From Dunkirk he proceeded to Rotterdam, and thence to 
Flushing, in Zealand, where the ships of war were lying. 
Fortunately, perhaps, for the interests of Holland, the ships 
were found to require in the opinion of the French Admiral, 
such extensive repairs to fit them for service, that before these 
could be completed a treaty was signed betv/een the two pow- 
ers, which left the ships in the hands of their original possess- 
ors; and in October the French officers were recalled from 
Holland. This inactive and idle life^as by no means con- 
genial to the temper or habits of Captain Barney, and when 
the officers had returned to Dunkirk, he obtained leave of ab- 
sence from the admiral for the purpose of visiting Paris again, 
in the hope that he might find some employment more suited 
to the energies of his mind. 

On his return to Paris, he found that a new object of popu- 
lar admiration had started up, in the person of Napoleon Bona- 
parte, a young Corsican officer of artillery, who in a recent 
conflict between the Parisians and the troops of the Convention 
had by superior skill and enterprise obtained a decisive victory 
for the latter. All eyes were turned upon him, and his great 
military genius was the theme of every tongue ; the victors and 
the vanquished were alike lavish in his praise. How little was 
it then imagined by these ardent republicans, that, before the 
end of nine years from this first display of his tactics, the same 
individual would be proclaimed Emperor of the French ! — 
The National Convention had dissolved itself, after an existence 
of three years, and the new Constitution was in full, peaceable 
and successful operation. The armies of France were every- 
where victorious, and the Republic had been acknowledged by 
many of the principal powers of Europe. — Captain Barney 
reported himself to the Minister upon his arrival, and received 
orders to remain in Paris, until the new organization of the 
Armees JVavales should be completed, a subject, which now for 
17 



194 ' MEMOIR OP 

^he first time, since the Revolution, occupied the attention of 
government. While this affair was in operation, that he might 
not altogether lose the opportunity — which was one of his 
principal inducements for entering the naval service of the 
Republic — of pursuing his purposed vengeance upon the 
English, he purchased a Cutter, fitted her out as a privateer, 
with twelve guns and one hundred and twenty men, called her 
La Vengeance, and sent her out into the North Sea, under the 
command of M. L'Eveillee, a lieutenant in the Republican 
navy. His orders to him were strict and peremptory not to 
interfere with American vessels under any pretence, but on the 
contrary to give them aid and protection wherever and when- 
ever he could. We beg the reader to pay particular attention 
to this fact, because it was, many years afterwards, made a 
ground of calumnious accusation against Commodore Barney, 
that while in the service of ihe French Republic he had preyed 
upon the commerce of his native country. There never was 
a more unfounded and malicious slander, as we shall have 
frequent occasion to s||^in the progress of these pages. 

In a very few weeks after La Vengeance sailed upon her 
cruise, her owner received intelligence of her having captured 
fifteen English merchant vessels, the greater part of which had 
arrived safely at different ports of Denmark and Holland ; and 
he began to feel that he was about to enjoy the satisfaction of 
ample retaliation upon the British, for their barbarous and cruel 
treatment of himself, and their unjust and illegal condemnation 
of the ' Sampson' and her cargo. Aliout the time of his re- 
ceiving this agreeable intelligence of the oj^erations of his 
privateer, he became so far acquainted with the progress of 
the new organization of the marine, as to learn that the Capitaines 
des Valsseaux were divided in three closes, and that his name 
was on the list of the third class. Indignant at being thus rated, 
as he conceived, so far below his pretensions, he immediately 
offered his resignation to the minister, who was very unwilling 
to accept it, and endeavored to convince Captain Barney, that 
the Directory were fully sensible of his superior claims, but that 
the difficulty of assigning him in a higher rank, without exciting 
the jealousy of native officers of merit, had led them to hope 
that he would yield to the necessity of the case, and await a 
more favorable opportunity of being placed in a class more cor- 
respondent to his acknowledged pretensions ; it was not until 
after eighteen days of reconsideration by the government, that 
the minister consented to receive his resignation, and then with 



COMMODORE BARNEY, 195 

the expression of a strong hope that in the course of a little 
time, it might be in his power to offer him something more wor- 
thy of his acceptance. 

The moment he was released from the obhgations of his com- 
mission, he set out for Ostend, and Flushing, where he found 
that several prizes, in addition to those he had already heard of, 
had arrived, sent in by La Vengeance. At the latter place, 
having sold all his prizes, he purchased another vessel, in con- 
junction with two other Americans, and fitted her out as a crui- 
ser under the nameof jLe Vengeur. From Flushing he 
1796 proceeded to Havre de Grace, and there purchased 
and fitted a third vessel, which he called by the English 
name of The Revenge, thus ringing the changes upon the fa- 
vorite term, and showing the paramount feeling of his mind. 
To all these privateers he repeated the orders he had given to 
the first, in relation to American property, and returned to 
Paris, where he arrived in March, 1796. 

His friend, the minister of marine, had not been unmindful 
of him in his absence, but had so successfully used his influence 
with the Directory, that he was now empowered to offer him the 
rank of Capitaine de Vaisseau du Premier, and a commission as 
Chef de Division des Armies JYavales, answering to the rank 
of Commodore in our service. This was equal to the fullest 
extent of his pretensions or his wishes, and he of course ac- 
cepted without hesitation, and with a proper sense of the honor. 
His orders were to proceed immediately to Rochfort to take 
the command of two frigates, destined for the Island of St 
Domingo; buuhaving heard at the same moment that his cutter 
La Vengeance had arrived at Nantz with several more prizes, he 
easily obtained permission from the minister to take that port 
in his way, and set out immediately through the still agitated and 
disturbed country of La Vendee. Tliough the terrible efiects 
of the long struggle in this devoted portion of the French terri- 
tory, were no longer so withering to the sight of humanity and 
philanthropy, still it was far from being in a state of tranquillity 
— murders and robberies of the most atrocious and horrible 
nature were frequent, nor could all the efFoi'ts of the brave and 
patriotic General Hoche, who then commanded in La Vendee, 
entirely suppress them. From Rennes to Nantz, in order to 
avoid these numerous bands of assassins and plunderers, it was 
necessary to pass by water, under the protection of the gun-boats, 
stationed at regular distances on the Loire. On arriving at 
Nantz, he found his cutter, which he refitted and despatched 



m 



MEMOIR OP 



On another cruise with his usual rapidity of action. During his 
short stay here, he had an opportunity of forming an acquaint- 
ance with the commander in chief whom we have already named, 
General Hoche — he speaks of him in terms of high respect, 
and as enjoying in a p)eeininent degree the esteem of the Ven- 
deans : — his conciliatory disposition, his humanity and modera- 
tion towards the insurgent population whom he was sent to sub- 
due, had done more to quiet the spirit of disaffection, and re- 
concile the people to the existing government, than all the victo- 
ries which had been previously gained over them. It was the 
good fortune of General Hoche to [)ut a stop to the revolt of La 
Vendee, and reduce the whole proV'ince lo sulijection. 

Before the end of April the commodore left Nantz and re- 
paired to Rochfort, wheie he found his two frigates nearly ready 
for sea. He was detained here a few days to receive on board 
two companies of Artillerists, and a large quantity o( powder, 
arms, and stores of every kind, for the Island of St Domingo; 
and on the 28th of May he sailed, in company with thiiieen 
other frigates bound on various expeditions. The fleet did not 
separate until they arrived off Cape Finister, where they ex- 
changed greetings and pursued their different destinations. The 
ship on board which the commodore had hoisted his flag, was 
a fine new frigate, called La Harmonic, mounting 44 guns, (28 
long 24 pounders, and ] 6 long nines) and carrying 300 men — 
the other frigate under his command was La Railhuse of 36 
guns. A few days after separating from the fleet, he captured a 
Portuguese brig, laden with wheat, which in pursuance of his 
general instructions, after taking out the crew, he ordered to be 
burned. The next morning at daylight he discovered a sail on 
his weather bow, standing apparently on the same course with 
himself to which he gave chase; he continued it all day v^ith- 
out seeming to have lessened the distance between them a single 
fathom, but he had managed to bring the chased to leeward, 
which was gaining some advantage. Towards night, he order- 
ed all his light ^sails to be taken in, under the impression that it 
would induce the chased to believe that he had abandoned the 
pursuit; the result would seem to show thatit had the desired 
effect — at eight o'clock, the weather being dark and cloudy, he 
altered his course, bore up before the wind, and made all sail 
again ; in the morning at daylight he found his object still to lee- 
ward, and not more than a mile distant ; he sent his boats out 
immediately and captured her. She was an English brig from 
Bristol bound to Martinique, with a cargo which proved a most 



COMMODORE BARNEY, 197 

valuable and seasonable acquisition to the crews of the two fri- 
gates — for it seems that both officers and men had left France 
with so poor a supply of clothing, jhat they might almost be 
compared to Falstaff's ' ra2;gamuffins,' who had ' but a shirt 
and a half among them. The brig was laden with an assort- 
ment of dry goods, one hundred and twenty trunks and bales 
of which were taken out and immediately distributed, according 
to the wants of the crews, and the brig was then destroyed. 

In the further progress of his expedition, he spoke a brig ap- 
parently in distress ; but there were some suspicious circum- 
stances about her, which induced a close examination, and led 
to the discovery that her captain had been murdered by the 
crew, who were now running away with the vessel. Upon a 
thorough search of the mate and men, a large sum (amounting . 
to six or seven thousand dollars) in Spanish gold was found con- 
cealed in belts secured around their bodies. By the vessel's 
papers, it appeared that she belonged to Philadelphia, and was 
last from Malaga; by the confession of the crew, she had ta- 
ken in specie on freight at Malaga, to be landed at Gibraltar, but 
before tliey had been many days out, the mate proposed to the 
crew, the greater part of whom were Spaniards, to murder the 
captain and share the plunder among them — this was agreed 
to ; and after committing the atrocity, they proceeded with the 
vessel to Palma, one of the Cape de Verd Islands, and had 
sailed from thence with the intention of entering the first port 
they could make in the West Indies. When the frigates fell 
in with her, she was partly dismasted, and in'a very leaky con- 
dition, so that the attempt to carry her into port would have 
been attended with more trouble and delay than she was worth, 
and the commodore, therefore, having taken out the specie, 
and ordered the crew to be brouglit on board his own ship and 
secured in irons, directed the brig to be set on fire. 

He arrived at St Domingo after a passage of thirtytwo days, 
with the extraordinary good fortune of not having lost a single 
man, or even having one on the ' sick list.' He delivered the 
pirates over to the proper authorities for trial, and deposited the 
specie he had taken from them in the public treasury, subject 
to the claim of tlie real owner, provided it should be proved 
not to be enemy's property. As soon as he had landed the 
troops and stores for the service of the Island, he commenced 
preparations for putting to sea again, in the hope that he might 
be able to intercept the Jamaica fleet, which generally sailed 
for England about the last of July. He made known his pur- 
17* 



198 



MEMOIR OP 



pose to the Administration of the Island, who not only approved 
it, but offered him another ship in addition to his two frigates — 
this ship, the only one they had at their disposal, was a large 
transport, mounting 36 guns, but clumsy and heavy, and hold- 
ing out no great promise of being useful to him. With this 
force, however, inadequate as it was, he determined to make an 
attempt upon the, generally well protected, Jamnica fleet, and 
with that view sailed from St Domingo on the 1 5th of July, just 
a fortnight after his arrival. In his passage towards the Havan- 
na, off which port he intended to take his station and wait for 
the English convoy, he spoke several Americans, hy all of whom 
the same information was given to him, that they had left the 
Jamaica fleet but a few days before, so that he was in full time. 
He came in sight of the Havana on the 20th, and continu- 
ed for several days to cniise within the accustomed range of 
the fleet's course, but he found his transport so dull a sailer that 
she became rather an encumbrance to him than an assistance, 
and he began to wish that he had left her behind. His patience 
and his hopes were nearly exhausted, when on the 1st of Au- 
gust, he discovered several sail to the westward, which he had 
no doubt were a part of the fleet, and he accordingly stood for 
them under a press of canvas. On approaching within exam- 
ining distance, he was not a little disappointed to find his ex- 
pected prizes to be a ship of the line, two large frigates, and a 
schooner — he could perceive that ihey were making signals to 
each other, but was unable to discover whether they were 
English or Spanish ships. As the Republic and Spain were 
then at peace, he hoisted Spanish colors, and stood in for the 
Havana with the intention — if the ships should be a part of 
the English convoy — of letting them pass, and then falling 
upon the rear of the fleet. He had scarcely a doubt that he had 
seen the vanguard of the Jamaica convoy, and accordingly 
ran into the mouih of the harbor with his three ships ; but he 
was again deceived in his coiijectiu'e, or rather puzzled to com- 
prehend the movements of the strangers, for the ship of the 
line and the two frigates followed to the mouth of the harbor, 
where they continued for the greater part of three days to play 
off and on without showing then- colors. While they continued 
in this humor. Commodore Barney deemed it advisable to en- 
ter the port with his division and come to anchor. On the third 
day, the purpose of the manoeuvre being accomplished, the 
strange ships announced themselves to the Fort as belonging tO' 
His Catholic Majesty, and came into the harbor. It seems, they 



COMMODORE BARNEY. 



199 



had been employed to bring off the Spanish Governor, inhabi- 
tants, and troops from the city of St Domingo, upon the trans- 
fer of the Spanish possessions in that island to France ; upon 
discovering Commodore Barney's squadron, the Spanish com- 
mander suspected them at once to be French ships, and imme- 
diately despatched the schooner which he had in company, to 
give information to the British admiral that he might avoid the 
danger to his convoy. The Spaniard had so far mistaken them, 
however, as to represent them as three ships of the line, and to 
this mistake, probably, the English fleet was indebted for their 
ultimate escape; for it induced the British admiral to change 
his usual course and steer for Cape Florida. 

Commodore Barney was excessively indignant, when he 
found that he had been actually blockaded by ships of Spain, 
(then at peace with the Republic,) for the space of three days, 
and that they had been guilty of the further unfriendliness of 
aiding and assisting the enemy. He did not hesitate to speak 
of the conduct of the Spanish commander as treacherous, and 
there is no doubt if his force had been equal, he would have 
made the attempt to j^i/ms/i him, without waiting for the orders 
of the Directory. The moment he perceived the perfidy 
which had been practised against him, he weighed anchor with 
his three ships and stood to sea. Ta 'dng it for granted from all 
he had heard, that the English convoy had passed, and were 
ahead of him, he traversed the Gulf of Florida under a press 
of sail and a fine wind, but caught no glimpse of even a strag- 
gling vessel of the fleet. Afterwards, when too late to remedy 
his mistake, he learned to his infinite chagrin and vexation, that 
he had outstripped the object of his pursuit, and instead of be- 
ing, as he supposed, in their rear, he was in reality several days 
in advance of the fleet. To add to his mortification, the crew 
of the transport became sickly : upwards of ninety of her 
men were at one time on the sick list, and a serious mortality 
began to prevail among them. Under these circumstances he 
determined to steer for the Chesapeake, leave the transport 
there to the hospitality of his countrymen, and then return to the 
pursuit of the English convoy with his two frigates, for this waj 
an enterprise which he could not think of abandoning while a 
single chance remained, and he resolved to follow them even to 
the Western Tsles. 

On the 28th of August, at midnight, they discovered the Cape 
Henry light and immediately ' brought to,' with the wind at 
southeast. The Commodore possessed one of the characteris- 



200 



MEMOIR OP 



tics of a prudent commander, in as eminent a degree as Fabius 
himself, however he might have differed from that cautious 
general in many other distinguishing qualities — his vigilance, in 
all situations, was equal to his boldness and intrepidity : he nev- 
er permitted himself to taste repose, night or day, until he had 
satisfied himself of the safety of his position by personal ex- 
amination. He had a night glass which he valued very highly 
on account of its superior properties, that was seldom out of 
his hand at night, while he walked the deck. A very few 
minutes after he had determined to lie to off Cape Henry light 
until the morning would enable him to enter the Bay with safe- 
ty, he discovered by the aid of this glass, that there were j^ye 
shi2)s under easy sail, between him and the cape. He could not 
doubt, from their appearance and manoeuvres, that they were 
enemies, and he therefore hailed his two other ships, and gave 
them orders to make sail and stand off to the eastward by the 
wind — he did the same himself, and they continued their 
course to the eastward all night. At daylight the next morn- 
ing he perceived a ship, which he soon made out to be a fri- 
gate, standing to the northwest — he gave chase to her immedi- 
ately, and was coming up with her as fast as a light wind would 
enable him, when her signal guns, which she had continued to 
fire all the morning, were answered, and at nine o'clock he dis- 
covered the five ships he had seen the night before, coming up 
with a fresh wind from the northwest, and gaining .upon him 
every moment. The chasers now in turn became the chased 
— the six ships of the enemy were soon united, and continued 
a vigorous pursuit all day : the unfortunate transport, which had 
been the origin of all his disappointments and misfortunes on 
this ill fated cruise," was overtaken by the van of the enemy 
about four o'clock ; they each gave her a broadside and com- 
pelled her of course to strike her colors. Having taken pos- 
session of their prize, the enemy continued the chase afier 
the two frigates, which they kept up all the night of the 29th. 
On the 30th at daylight, there was but one frigate near, and 
another vessel just discernible from the mast-head : the commo- 
dore, in the hope of bringing on a battle before the other ships 
came up, made signals to tl)e Railleuse to take in sail and wait 
for the enemy ; but the enemy, perceiving his design, and not 
being quite so eager for a fight as to run any risk in seeking it, 
instantly altered his course, and hauled by the wind. In a i'ew 
hours afterwards, the vessel which had been seen from the 
mast-head at dawn, was discovered to be a ship of the line — 



COMMODORE BARNEY. 201 

she joined the frigate before noon, and the chase was again re- 
newed during the- remainder of the day. In the evening the 
Commodore found that he had gained some advantage of his 
pursuers, which he determined to improve by a ruse de guerre : 
with this view, about ten o'clock at night, he ordered a tar-bar- 
rel to be set on fire and thrown into the sea, and then immedi- 
ately changed his course, leaving the deceptive light to float about 
at the pleasure of the winds and waves ; and there can be no 
doubt, that the enemy continued to chase the tar-barrel, until 
they came near enough to discover the trick, by which time it 
was too late to make up the lost distance. On the morning 
of the 31st there was no appearance of a sail visible, and the 
commodore again altered the course of his two frigates, and 
steered to the southward. 

He had now, by his excellent management and skilful ma- 
noeuvring, escaped one superior power — but another struggle 
awaited him, in which the strength and skill of man are alike 
impotent. — On the 1st of September he came within sight of 
the Island of Bermuda, and on the same afternoon spoke an 
American ship from Madeira bound to the United States — the 
weather was uncommonly fine — it was a clear, soft, lovely day j 
and the sea was so beautifully smooth and calm, that the Amer- 
ican ship continued within speaking distance long enough to al- 
low the commodore an opportunity of writing by her to his 
family and friends in Baltimore ; but he had scarcely sent his 
letters on board of her, before the breeze began to freshen and 
in a hsfi minutes she was out of sight. It continued to blow 
all night with increasing severity ; and by the dawn of the next 
morning, the gale had assumed all the characteristic fury of a 
tornado. It was a gratification that the frigates had not been 
separated in the night — the Railleuse was still in sight; bear- 
ing up courageously against the tempest ; and emulating the activ- 
ity and nautical skill of her experienced leader ! — but they were 
soon deprived of the consolation of being together : the storm 
grew heavier and harder ; a thick darkness covered the face 
of the heavens, and the glittering foam of the lashed and wor- 
ried sea, presented the only visible object. Every precaution, 
which a perfect acquaintance with the sudden and terrific na- 
ture of the West Indian hurricanes could suggest, had been taken 
early on the previous evening, by order of the Commodore, on 
board both ships — all the light yards and masts had been struck, 
and nothing was left for the wind to exert its rage upon but the bare 
masts and bowsprits — under these the Harmonic^ whose consort 



202 



MEMOIR OP 



was no longer in sight, now continued to scud before wind and 
sea, but rolling and plunging heavily, like an overloaded horse 
that seeks to lighten hi| burthen by trying alternately each side 
of the road. In the afternoon about four o'clock, a sudden sea 
gave her a tremendous blow on the quarter, which threw every 
body, and everything moveable, to leeward — by this unfortu- 
nate stroke, the Commodore himself was washed under one of 
the quarter-deck guns, from which he was, with some difficulty, 
extricated, with his thighbone fractured ! He would not per- 
mit himself to be carried from the deck, however, for more 
than half an hour after this accident, until the aggravated pain of 
the fractured limb coinpelled him to seek relief. He was but a 
few minutes in his cabin, in the hands of his surgeon, when he 
heard the crash of all the masts tumbling over the sides at a 
single blow ! The bowsprit shared a similar fate while he was 
delivering his orders to have everything cut away from the 
wreck — and the gallant frigate was now a mere rolling log 
upon the water. She was soon, however, cleared from the 
fallen spars, but still labored heavily — the commodore order- 
ed the quarter-deck and forecastle guns to be thrown overboard ; 
this lightened her a little, but the sea continued to break over 
her in every direction ; the quarter galleries, and part of the 
stern, were knocked in ; and the wind still blew with unabated 
rage — but the ship fortunately preserved her tightness; there 
was no leak, and hope still held her wonted sway in the breast 
of the dauntless mariner. This state of things continued until 
three o'clock on the morning of the 4th, when the wind died 
away as suddenly as it had sprung into life, and the worn and 
exhausted seamen began to anticipate the joys of rest ; but in 
less than half an hour, the capricious iEolus, as if his former 
blasts had emptied his eastern bag, suddenly opened another 
from the west ; and for the space of three hours, this latter 
storm equalled in force and violence the highest fury of that to 
which it so closely succeeded — the ship, already a sheer hulk, 
suffered still more — her upper works were broken to pieces ; 
the powder and bread rooms were filled with water; everything 
on board shared in the general suffering; besides the Commo- 
dore himself, several of his officers, and sixty of the men, were 
dreadfully bruised and hurt. About daylight, this second tem- 
pest spent itself, and a calm of somewhat longer duration en- 
sued — the sun rose upon a sea that looked as if it had never 
suffered its quiet bosom to be fretted, so serene, so unrufHed, 
was the vast expanse. The Commodore had himself lifted upon 



COMMODORE BARNEY. 



203 



the quarter-deck — but the sight that met his eyes, was more 
than ail his philosophy could bear up against ; he was not stoic 
enough to behold the desolation vviihouUan emotion, which he 
neither tried nor desired to control, and the tears chased each 
other down his sunburnt and hollowed cheeks, as he gazed upon 
the ruin before him. A few hours before. La Harmonic had 
been a piece of beautiful symmetry — a new and elegant frigate, 
well fitted, well found, superb in all that wins the admiration of a 
seaman, lifting her proud head to the heavens as if not even the 
King of storms dared to touch the banner of the Republic ! 
What was she now? — A wreck! torn to pieces; not a mast 
standing, not a spar to be seen — the bruised and crippled offi- 
cers and men, lying here and there upon the deck, half drowned 
in the puddles — every man on board still dripping with the wet 
of the ocean which had so copiously flowed over him — not a 
dry thread on board in the hulk — no provisions cooked — 
scarcely any, indeed, fit to be cooked ! 

Such was the melancholy, heart-sickening prospect, present- 
ed to the view of the Commodore, when, exhausted as he was 
from pain, fatigue, and anxiety, he ordered a couple of his atten- 
dants to carry him in their arms upon the deck ! We cannot 
wonder that he was unable to suppress the feelings that swelled 
his heart. But where was la belle Railleuse, his gallant consort ? 
No trace of her was visible, and he scarcely admitted a hope 
that he should ever see her again. A few moments only were 
yielded to these sad reflections ; he soon got all his men at work, 
who were unhurt by the storm, and in a little while, the spare 
topmasts and other spars that had not been washed overboard, 
were rigged up, and the ship could once more spread a few 
small sails to the breeze. — While the crew were engaged in this 
duty, a brig came down upon the ship in a style which induced 
the Commodore to believe her an enemy, and he ordered pre- 
parations made to receive her with his ivaist guns,xhe only ones 
that could be used ! But, fortunately, the brig proved to be an 
American from Baltimore, bound to the West Indies, whose 
captain kindly offered every assistance in his power to the 
wrecked frigate — gave her a fore-yard, and showed the most 
friendly sympathy for the Commodore ; but, what more than all 
gave consolation and pleasure to the latter, the Baltimorean was 
enabled to gi\ jhim intelligence of the health and welfare of his 
family. — It is worthy of remark, that this brig bad experienced 
nothing of the storm, though she could not have been more than 
twenty leagues distant from the frigate at the moment of its 
dreadful havoc upon her. 



204 



MEMOIR OP 



In the course of three or four days after the tempest, by dint 
of unremitted labor, and the exercise of those inventive facuhies 
which veteran seamen possess in so great a degree, they were 
enabled to get sufficient canvas upon the Harmonic to force 
her along at the rate of seven or eight knots an hour. On the 
12th of September, while steering for Turks Island, a sail was 
discovered to leeward, which, after a little examination with his 
glass, the commodore discovered to be an armed ship, and, like 
his own, undev jury-masts ; he immediately prepared for actioriy 
and bore down upon her, believing himself at least a match for 
any other cripple. As he approached the supposed enemy, he 
perceived that she was making signals — his surprise and de- 
light may be imagined, when he at length recognised his own 
frigate, his lost RaiUeuse ! Upon coming up with, and sj)eak- 
ing her, it was found that, with the exception of her not havi ig 
lost her bowsprit, the RaiUeuse had suffered equally with the 
Harmonic, and was in exactly the same distressed condition. 
The two ships, once more reunited, continued together, and pas- 
sing Turks Island on the 13th, they were fortunate enough to 
escape the notice of a division of the enemy which lay, that 
night, about four leagues to windward; and on the 14th, they 
arrived safely at Cape Francois. 

After his arrival at the Cape, Commodore Barney suffered 
very severely, for a long time, from the effects of his fractured 
thigh ; but he was nevertheless assiduous in his attentions to the 
refitting of his ships. This was a serious and difficult under- 
takins; at the Cape, for the Colony was in want of almost every 
requisite for such a purpose ; and he found himself und^r the 
necessity of entirely dismantling two large transports then in 
the harbor, in order to supply even decent substitutes for the 
masts and spars he had lost. By great diligence and labor 
the RaiUeuse was in a short time refitted, and despatched to 
France, at the request of the Administration, to convey the 
Deputies to the Convention. The commodore remained be- 
hind in command of the naval forces of the Colony, and, in 
truth, directing and administering all its affairs. While he re- 
mained here, his cutter La Vengeance, which had been cruis- 
ing by his orders, off Martinique, arrived. She had made a 
number of prizes since he had last heard of her, and among 
them a very valuable one which had been carried into St Croix 
and there sold for one hundred and Jive thousand doUars : — 
the invoice cost of the cargo had been seventy thousand pounds 
sterling ! We mention this fact to show how prize agents 



iCOMMODORE BARNEV, 205 

manage their concerns. Here was an evident loss, liowever, 
produced to the captors, of at least two hundred andjiftij thou- 
sand dollars. The commodore's share of this prize amounted 
to sixtyfive thousand dollars, which he immediately remitted to 
his friend in Baltimore ; and in a few days he despLncl)ed his 
active and fortunate cutter upon another cruise. We take 
occasion here to advert again to the private instructions of 
Commodore Barney to the masters of his private cruisers, and 
the effect of them upon American commerce. — The maritime 
decrees of the Republic made it lawful to capture all Ameri- 
cans, bound to or from an English port, and the Government 
Agents at the Cape, in the several visits of La Vengeance to 
that port, had given positive orders to her conmiander to lose 
no opportunity of enforcing these decrees ; but this officer 
regarded the private orders of his owner and employer as of 
paramount obligation, particularly as there was a penalty an- 
nexed to the slightest breach of them, which he knew would 
be rigidly enforced — ^ the loss of his command and the dis- 
mantling of his favorite cutter. In the course of his cruise, 
he boarded twenti/nine American vessels, all from Jan)aica, and 
all lawful prizes to other French cruisers, the aggregate value 
of which was more than six hundred thousand dollars ! he 
dismissed them all with a ' bon voyage ! ' and they carried 
their treasure home unmolested. The coinmodore's share of 
this property, had it been captured, would have amounted to 
nearly half a million of dollars ! And yet he has been ac- 
cused of not loving, not respecting, his cou itiy ! We leave it 
to the reader to judge how far he merited such a rrimiiiation; 
but we shall h ive occasion to bring it more pariicul.uly to his 
attention, in another part of this volume. 

Wliile the commodore remained at Cape Francois, he took 
it into his head to become a sugar planter, under the inipres- 
sion that great profit might be made by it, and accordingly- 
rented from the government the two plantations, called De 
Menore and Carre, situated on the plains. These plantation* 
were both in a state of complete dilapidation, not having been 
attended to or cultivated for several yearS; and he was under 
the necessity of expending a considera!)le sum to put them in 
proper order for cultivation — he repaired the buildings, pur- 
chased stocks of mules and oxen, employed overseers, and 
commenced the business of making sugar. The j)hmtations 
were considced among the best on the Island, and while the 
novelty lasted, and he attended himself to the management, 
J8 



206 



MEMOIR OF 



the business was a profitable one ; but he soon left them in the 
hands of an agent, and never afterwards had any satisfactory 
account of their product. 

At the period we now speak of, the black population had 
complete ascendency in the Island, and the whites never ven- 
tured beyond the immediate vicinity of the Cape, except un- 
der the protection of a guard of negro soldiers. In his frequent 
visits to his sugar plantations, before his interest in them be- 
came absorbed in more important matters. Commodore Barney 
always applied to Christophe then a colonel of the black guards 
[We beg the reader to believe that we had not the slightest 
intention to repeat a stale ^wn — ] for an escort; and the co- 
lonel — who was upon the most friendly terms with the Com- 
modore — not only supplied it with readiness, but often him- 
self accompanied his bon ami with his own body guard. On 
these occasions, he would sometimes remain two or three days 
with the Commodore, on one or other of his plantations, or irf 
excursions with him into the interior of the Island, where his 
authority was supreme. At the approach of Christophe, the 
best of everything was invariably produced, and it was no small 
gratification to travel through the Island in his company. No 
man was ever more reverenced than Christophe — but it was 
the reverence oi fear, for within the extent of his command, 
the tyranny he exercised was as despotic as that of Mahomet 
himself. He was a fine looking fellow, of noble stature, gen- 
tlemanly and dignified in his address and manners — cruel 
and vindicUre in his resentments, but firm and faithful in his 
friendships. His wife was as black and as portly as the Hot- 
tentot Venus, but stately and ladylike in her demeanor. They 
entertained their guests with as much ease and grace, as if they 
had been bred in the court of Versailles. 

The Commodore, of necessity, became acquainted with 
several other of the black chiefs, during his residence at the 
Cape, whose names fill a large space in the history of that un- 
fortunate Island — General Pierre Michael, he found to be an 
honest, upright officer in all his dealings. — The celebrated 
Toussant UOuverture was at that period commander in chief 
of the blacks in the Cape District : he was decrepit in body, 
capricious in disposition, and wantonly tyrannical in the exer- 
cise of his authority. — Raimond, one of the Government 
Agents, or Administrateurs, was a good looking mulatto, pos- 
sessing much intelligence and shrewdness — but he was treach- 



COMMODORE BARNEY. 207 

erous and unfaithful alike to friend and foe : he hved in great 
style in a splendid mansion fronting the Champ de Mars. 

But the Commodore's chief comjoanion and friend, was Son- 
thonax, the principal Administrator — he was a native of 
France, and had been employed by the government for many 
years in the affairs of St Domingo : he was at the Cape at the 
time of the insurrection and burning we have before noticed ; 
he went afterwards to France, whence he had been lately sent 
back in the capacity of Administrator. He was a nianoi pow- 
erfid intellect, full of artifice and cunning, and a great intriguer ; 
but he was sincere in his attachments, and remained, under 
every vicissitude, the warm and active friend of Barney, He 
Hved in splendor at the Cape, having a perfect j7a/ace, opening 
upon the Grand Square, and a company of elegantly equipped 
black troops always on guard about him. The entrance to his 
private apartments, was at the end of a long gallery, the win- 
dows of which opened upon a luxuriant grove of orange trees 
whose delightful odor perfumed the whole suite of rooms ap- 
propriated to his use — fountains of pure water gushed forth at 
intervals, and cooled the air (in imagination at least) as it bub- 
bled along in limpid streams through the grove. In his dining 
apartment this voluptuous servant of the Republic had an in- 
genious contrivance by which a large fan, exquisitely beautiful 
in its form and materials, continually agitated the air over the 
table, while on each side, marble fountains poured forth their 
gurgling sounds, during the repast. — The regal magnificence 
of everything about this establishment — the bod^^-guard — the 
difficulty of approach to the person of Sonlhonax — the haughti- 
ness of his demeanor to the canaille — furnish a beautiful 
comment upon the two words which headed all his official acts 
— Liberie, Egalite ! 

The friendly and intimate footing upon which the Commo- 
dore was admitted at all hours to' the privacy of Sonthonas, 
created great jealousies not only among the subordinates of the 
Administrator, but among his colleagues in the Commission, 
most of whom soon conceived a dislike to the Commodore, 
which showed itself on many occasions, and in one instance led 
to consequences that might have proved fatal. — A certain 
Chef de Bureau, by the name of Pascal, v/as wrought upon by 
his colleagues to ascribe to the influence of Barney, various 
slights which he fancied he had received from Sonthonax ; and 
as the Commodore was one day entering the apartments of the 
Administrator, to see him, by appointment, on business of the 



2Q8 MEMOIR OP 

Colony, this Pascal placed himself in the door-way, and in au 
insolent and peremptory tone forbade his entering;- — the Com- 
modore looked at him with a smile of contempt, and would 
have passed him without other notice, but Pascal seized upon 
him, and endeavored to put him out by foi'ce : it became 
necessary then to repel the insult, and Barney giving him two 
or three blows with liis fist which sent him reeling to the oppo- 
site wall, walked quietly in to keep his apj)ointment. He heard 
nothin2; more of the affair until fifteen days afterwards, when 
he received from Pascal an invitation to ^ere him satisfaction I 
They met and exchanged two pistol shots without effect, when 
a guard of soldiers advanced and arrested the further progress 
of the affair. He learned some time afterwards, that the guard 
bad been stationed near the spot by the orders of some of Pas- 
cal's friends, with directions to arrest them both if their shots 
did not take effect, and if Pascal should fall to shoot Barney 
on the spot. Thus, it seems, his life was saved, not, as in or- 
dinary cases of duelling, by hitting his adversary, but by missing 
him ! when Sonthonax was informed of the affair, he gave 
Pascal a severe reprimand, and the Commodore was more than 
ever taken into his confidence. 

During the greater part of the autumn and winter of 1796, 
the Island was in a state of general and deep distress for the 
want of provisions of every kind — there was no money in the 
treasury, and the government agents were driven to the last ex- 
tremity of perplexity and despair. In their difficulties, they 
appealed to the philanthropy of the Commodore to assist them 
with his means and his influence ; and proposed to him to visit 
the United States for the purpose of endeavoring to procure 
supplies from thence for the suffering colony : they offered him 
two frigates for the expedition, and as a further inducement to 
exert his interest to the utmost in their behalf, they declared 
their willingness to enter into a contract with him, upon such 
terms as would insure him an ample remuneration for his trou- 
ble. It certainly did not require a great deal of solicitation to 
persuade the Commodore to visit the United States, as he had 
not seen his family for more than two years, and wanted no 
stronger inducemient than his own feelings to seize so favorable 
an opportunity. He readily acceded, therefore, to the proposi- 
tion of the agents, and entered into contract to supply them 
with a certain quantity of provisions, monthly, for the space of 
ten months — having done this, he lost no time in preparing 
for his departure. It was found impracticable to have his own 



COMMODORE BARNEY. 209 

frigate, La Harmonic, refitted in time for his purposes, and he 
consented to sail with the Medusa and Insurgente — the lat- 
ter of which was the frigate, captured in 1799 bj^ Commodore 
Truxton in the Constellation, and afterwards fitted out under 
the flag of the United States for a cruise, from which she never 
returned, or was heard of. He appointed a young gentle- 
man of Baltimore, in whom he had great confidence, as his 
agent for the management of his private affairs in his absence, 
and left the Cape in the beginning of December, 1796 : — on 
the 19th of the same month, he was fortunate enough to ar- 
rive safely at Norfolk, in Virginia. — We say he was fortunate 
enough — for both his frigates were in a condition so totally 
unfit for sea, that nothing could have justified the risk he in- 
curred, but the distressed situation of the colony, and the ut- 
ter impossibility of obtaining at Cape Francois the requisite 
materials for a better equipment. The Medusa was an old 
ship, and so leaky that her pumps were kept at work night 
and day during the passage — she required a. (korovgh over- 
hauling : the Insurgente was a sounder vessel, but she liad been 
long lying at the Cape, and wanted various important repairs. 
Besides this unseaworthy condition of the ships, he was obliged 
to regulate his supply of provision by the very limited stores of 
the colony, and actually left the Cape with not more than three 
weeks' provision on board — so that, if his enemy had been in 
force off the Chesapeake, as was the case but a very short time 
afterwards, or any other incident had occurred to prevent his 
getting into port at the moment he did, he must have been driven 
to the most serious straits : his safe arrival, under such circum- 
.stances, may well therefore be regarded as an instance of great 
good fortune. He remained at Norfolk no longer than was 
necessary to give the proper orders for the repair of his ships, 
and proceeded to Baltimore. 

The meeting with his family after so long an absence, was 
truly a happy one ; but we shall not spoil the reader's concep- 
tion of the scene, by any attempt to depict the joy and glad- 
ness that spoke from the lips and shone in the eyes of every 
individual. It is enough to say, that he found them all in 
good health, and with but one cause of unhappiness in the 
world — his absence from them, and his having again exposed 
himself to the hazards of war. The Connnodore had made 
ample provision for the education of his children and the hand- 
some support of his household, and few families in Baltimore 
lived in greater comfort or elegance j but they would willingly 
18* 



210 



MEMOIR OP COMMODORE BARNEY. 



have given up all the splendor and luxuries with which his lib- 
eral allowances had surrounded them, to have had the enjoy- 
ment of his society in however humble a home. Many were 
the entreaties and tears he was compelled to steel himself 
against on this subject. — His honor was engaged to the French 
Republic, and he could listen to nothing that'proposed a forfeit 
of the pledge, 



CHAPTER XV. 

Rapidity of the Commodore's movements. — He enters into sub-contracts with 
several Baltimore houses of the first standing: — sees several vessels des- 
patched with provisions, under his Passports. — Difficulties of ihe French 
Minister Adet : — B. is persuaded to advance large sums for his relief — 
and takes the Consul General's Bills on the treasury at Paris. — He returns to 
JNorfolk. — Recall ol his friend Sonthonax : — fears excited as to tne issue of 
his contracts. — Bad faith of the Baltimore Houses. — He makes additional 
contracts in Norfolk. — Delay in the repairs of his ships. — Arrival of an 
English squadron in Hampton Roads. — He sends a gallant challenge to the 
British Admiral, which is declined. — He succeeds in getting to sea : — his 
whole passage lo the West Indies beset with enemies ; — the great skill and 
ingenuity with which he eludes them : — skirmish with a ship of the line and 
frigate. — He gets safely into Fort de Paix : — leaves his ships there, and 
proceeds in a small schooner to ihe Cape : — long illness after his arrival, 
the consequence of his great fatigue and watchfulness : — kind attentions of 
the black generals. — His frigates ordered to France. — Arrival of the newr 
administrateurs : — his difficulties with them in settling his contract. — He 
Bails for France in a small Pilot boat, with a cargo of coft'ee : — t.ikes a 
French general and his aid, as passengers : — their supply of water fdils : — 
a dilemma : — humorous rencounter with a Portuguese trader ; — arrival at 
Corunna, in Spain. — He orders the schooner lo Bordeaux and travels by 
land — disagreeable journey to Bayonne. — His schooner arrives safe at Bor- 
deaux : — he makes a fortunate sale of his coffee — purchases a travelling 
carriage, and arrives at Paris. — Interview with his Banker — gjreat amount 
of Ills advances — no receipts from the treasury. — Difficulty of procuring 
a settlement with the Directory : — great prevalence of bribery and corrup- 
tion : — high command offered to quiet him. — Return of Bonaparte from 
Egypt — revolution of the 9th November — Consular government. — Vexa- 
tions of the Commodore • — villainy of his prize ag«nts and partners. — 
Unexpected suit against him by the Bordeaux purchasers of his St Domingo 
claim : — heavy judgment obtained against him. through the corruption of the 
courts. — He is presented to the first Consul : — asks permission to resign, 
which is refused in a flattering manner: — becomes a regular visiter at the 
Palace — attends Josephine's soirees — is politely treated by Napoleon — but 
gets no satisfactory answers to his demands for money. — Letter from La Fay- 
ette — his opinion of the people — and prediction of the result of the rev- 
olution. — He renews his application for permission to resign : — receives a 
complimentary letter from the minister of marine — has a pension assigned 
him, which he does not accept — leaves his business in the hands of afiiend 
— and embarks for the United States. 

The promptness and celerity of action which we have had so 

many occasions to notice in the life of Commodore 

1797 Barney, were eminently displayed in the conduct of the 

enterprise that now brought him to BaUiinore. It has 

been seen, that he arrived at Norfolk, on the 19th of December, 



212 MEMOIR OF 

1796, and that he must necessarily have been detained there 
for at least a day or two in providing for the repair and supply 
of his ships, and therefore could not have reached Baltimore 
before the 24th or 25th, at soonest — for it must be remem- 
ber, that there were then no steam-boats nor rail-roads, and 
that travelling was neither so easy nor expeditious as at the 
present day — and yet, on the 1st of January, 1797, he had 
executed contracts with several of the most respectable com- 
mercial houses in the city, to furnish all the articles, which his 
own contract with the government agents of St Domingo oblig- 
ed him to deliver ! he knew that the distresses of the colony 
were too urgent to admit of delay, and he wasted no time in the 
diplomacy of negotiation ; but coming at once to the point, he 
endeavored to infuse a portion of his own strait-forward earnest- 
ness and vigor of movement into the firms with which he 
bargained, and w^as so successful, that in a fev/ days several 
vessels were despatched loaded with the necessaries of life for 
the suffering inhabitants of Cape Francois. All these vessels, 
in addition to their regular documents, carried a passport under 
the sign manual of the ' Chefdc Division des Armies JSavales' of 
the French republic : this precaution was absolutely indispensa- 
ble ; for such was the indiscriminate and lawless eagerness 
with which the greater part of the French cruisers, at this mo- 
ment, preyed upon American commerce, that they would as 
soon have robbed a vessel carrying the means of life to their 
own starving countrymen, as if she were loaded with munitions 
of war for their enemy, unless protected by something more 
than custom-house papers. These first vessels, however, 
with all the exertions that could be used, were for a long time 
the only ones that could be sent off, for the river was very soon 
after blocked up with ice. 

Immediately upon his arrival at Baltimore, the Commodore 
had addressed a letter to M. Latombe, the French consul gen- 
eral at Philadelphia giving him information of the state of his 
two frigates at Norfolk, and of the wants of his crews who had 
neither provision nor clothing. Instead, however, of an ex- 
pected remittance from the consul general in reply to his offi- 
cial call upon him, he received a letter from the minister, citizen 
Adet, requesting to see him as soon as possible at Philadelphia. 
He did not feel himself at liberty to disobey the invitation of he 
minister, and therefore set out at once for the seat of government. 
To bis great astonishment when he arrived at Philadelphia, he 
found that citizen Adet had been recalled, and that neither he 



COMMODORE BARNEf, 



213 



nor the consul general, bad a single dollar, public or private 
pro|)erty, — ^tbat the minister was over bead and ears in debt — 
and that this interview had been solicited with him for the purpose 
of appealing to bis generosity and friendship to relieve them 
both from tlieir embarrassed situation ! He began to think, not 
without some reason, that his fraternity with the French republic 
"was like to be a heavy burthen upon bis shoulders — he told 
these gentlemen, that he was already engaged to the extent of 
his resources to relieve the colony of St Domingo from the 
most serious distresses — that the agents there depended solely 
upon him for supplies — but that with the best disposition in 
the world to serve the republic, it was impossible for him to ' do 
everydiing !' — All attempt, however, to resist the importunities 
of two such high functionaries of the republic, proved of no 
avail ; they were prepared to answer all his objections, and in 
the end prevailed upon him, not only to make all the advances 
that his own demands for the service of the frigate might re- 
quire, but to give an immediate draft upon bis banker at Paris 
for the sum of thirty thousand dollars, which the minister need- 
ed for the purpose of paying his debts and enabling him to 
leave the country. As an indemnity for these advances, the 
consul general gave his official bills upon the treasury at Paris, 
which be assured the Commodore, notwithstanding he had been 
unable to find any body at Philadelphia willing to take them, 
would be duly honored, and paid upon presentation ; he had 
therefore only to remit these bills to his Paris banker, that they 
might be received simultaneously with the drafts, and the ne- 
gotiation would be effected without trenching upon his private re- 
resources. Such were the specious arguments of the consul 
general. 

Having thus involved himself to a very considerable amount, 
for the relief of these officers of the republic, he returned im- 
mediately to Baltimore; and on the first opening of the naviga- 
tion, in March, proceeded to Norfolk, where he found bis ships 
still under the bands of the mechanics. It was with no small 
regret, that he received at this moment, a letter from his 
friend Sonthonax, giving bim the information of his recall to 
France, and leaving it but too plainly to be inferred, that be was 
in disgrace with the Directory.* Whatever might be the real 

* ' Au Citoyen Barney, chef de Division des Armees Navales de la Re- 
publique Fran^aise, k Norfolk. 

' Au Cap Francois, le 7 Fruct.idor, Ax. 5. 

• Recevez mes adieux, mon cher Barney, jusqu'a ce que des circonstances 
heureuses puissent nous reunir, L'Epouse du citoyen Odelon, capilaine de 
fregate, vous instruira des evenements qui ont amenees et determine mon de- 



214 



MEMOIR OP 



character of this man, his conduct towards Barney, during 
many years of close intimacy, had been invariably governed by 
the most honorable principles. His administration of affairs at 
the Cape, had certainly been more prosperous than that of most 
of the commissioners who had been entrusted with it, and it 
was entirely owing to his influence and exertions that the col- 
ony was not, at the moment of his recall, in a state of starva- 
tion. He seemed to speak with great confidence of his own in- 
nocence of the accusations, whatever they were, against him, 
but expressed no reliance on the justice of those before whom 
he was called to answer. The recall of this officer, at the pre- 
sent period more especially, was a subject of very deep regret 
to the Commodore — he had much reason to fear that his suc- 
cessors in the agency might not be as honest ; but he bad no 
apprehension of ultimate loss from his contracts, because he be- 
lieved, whoever might be the administrators, they would find it 
impossible to get along without his assistance. — Coming to this 
conclusion, he neither withheld his advances oi money, nor re- 
mitted his exertions to fulfil his contract — on the contrary, he 
entered into additional agreements with several individuals of 
Norfolk, and despatched several vessels from that port with sup- 
plies for the Cape. To his great chagrin and disappointment, 
however, he found that the houses with which he had made his 
6rst contracts in Baltimore, seemed to hang back in the perform- 
ance of their engagements ; this was an alarming circumstance 
to him, and he wrote several pressing letters, urging in the 
strongest terms the prosecution of their shipments, to all which 
he received the most unsatisfactory replies. Under these cir- 
cumstances, he redoubled his efforts to procure at Norfolk what 
was wanted to prevent the forfeit of his own contract, and push- 
ed forward the repairs of the frigates with all the expedition it 
was in his power to command. The expenditures for this latter 
object, even with the strictest regard to economy, amounted to 
an enormous sum ! for he had been obliged to provide new sails, 
new cables, and almost new bottoms, for both ships ; besides 
which, their officers and crews required some advance of 

part. Prodigue de sacrifices je les ai tousfaits pour le mainlien de I'ordre 
publique. Je laisse apres moi des preuves materielles, et pour ainsi dire 
vivantes, de ramelioration de la colonie, progrcs des cultures, confiance de 
commune, reedification de la ville du Cap, des magazins approvisionnes pour 
six mois ; voila tout ce que je laisse, etDieu merci, n'importe qu'une con- 
science pure, et I'estime de moi meme. Adieu, mon cher Barney ! Je compte 
sur la continuation de votre attacehment comm e vous pouvez compter sur ma 
sincere amitie. So:xthonax.' 



COMMODORE BARNEV. 215 

wages, and he had to lay in a store of provisions equal to the 
supply of seven hundred men for four months. The comple- 
tion of this work was delayed for a considerable time, by the 
neglect of those who were charged with the duty of forward- 
ing certain naval stores, belonging to the republic, which had 
been ordered around from New York in small vessels ; and it was 
not until late in the month of July that he was finally ready to 
leave the waters of the United States. 

At this moment, there lay in Hampton Roads an English 
squadron, consisting of one ship of the line, one fifty-gun ship, 
four frigates, and a sloop of war ; the greater part of these ves- 
sels had come into the Bay three or four months before, evi- 
dently with the design of waiting until the two French ships 
should be ready to proceed to sea. If any body of the present 
day, should deem it an extraordinary thing, that the bays and 
roads of a neutral country, should thus be used by one belligerent 
for the annoyance of another, we have only to refer him to the 
public gazettes oithat day, for example upon example of infinite- 
ly greater outrages daily committed, by both belligerents, against 
the national dignity, honest neutrality, and peaceable disposition, 
of the United States, all of which were quietly submitted to by 
the latter, for the sake of the very profitable carrying trade, 
which their merchants then enjoyed ! National honor is not 
always held in higher estimation than national proft ; and in a 
country which derives its revenue entirely from commerce, we are 
not to be surprised, if merchants have a larger share of influence 
with the government than any other class of its citizens. — The 
Commodore had paid no attention to the movements of this 
hostile squadron, so long as his equipment was in the progress 
of execution ; he knew they were waiting for him, but that 
consideration neither hurried nor retarded a single measure of 
preparation. But the moment he was ready to put to sea, he 
called upon his friend, the Honorable Colonel Parker, then a 
member of Congress from that district of Virginia, an(^ "cquest- 
ed that he would undertake, through the medium of the English 
Consul at Norfolk, to procure a message to be sent to the Brit- 
ish admiral in Hampton Roads, the purport of which was — 
' that he (Barney) would immediately go to sea with any tivo 
of the English frigates, provided the admiral would pledge 
his word of honor that he would permit none of his other ves- 
sels to interfere, pending the proposed trial of prowess.' — 
This gallant challenge was faithfully delivered to the British 
admiral, but that officer haughtily declined the partie carree, no 



216 MEMOIR OF 

doubt from a conscientious sense of duty, rather than from any 
unworthy motive of apprehension for the issue, or contempt 
for the challenger. 

Upon hearing that his invitation was not accepted, some 
lime in August, the commodore dropped down the Elizabeth 
River with his two ships ; his enemy at the same moment 
moved further out into the bay ; — as the former came into 
Hampton Roads, the latter took up a position in Lynnhaven 
Bay ; and thus as the French sljips continued to approach the 
Capes, their English adversaries gradually retired before them, 
that they might hold them in view, until they should overpass the 
maritime jurisdiction of the United States. It is some matter 
of marvel, that even so much respect was paid to the neutral 
nation — but, ' nous avons change tout cela ! ' and we dare be- 
lieve, that similar insults will never again be offered to the Uni- 
ted States. — The Commodore at length approached Cape 
Henry light-house and let go his anchors, the hostile ships be- 
ing then playing about under easy sail in the offing : towards 
evening he sent forward his pilot boat as if to marshal him 
the way out, but the moment darkness come on, he weighed 
anchor again, and returned some distance up the bay, where he 
remained at anchor for the night. By this masterly stratagem 
his adversaries were^completely deceived ; — for, on the follow- 
ing morning, after standing close into the Capes so as toreconnoi- 
ire, and not perceiving his ships in the position they had oc- 
cupied on the previous evening, they very naturally concluded 
that he had given them the slip in the dark, and without further 
delay went to sea in pursuit of him. This, perhaps, is one of 
the most extraordinary instances to be found in naval history, 
of escape from a vigilance so active and persevering as that 
which had characterized the British commander. Nothing, cer- 
tainly, could be more simple than the manoeuvre which was 
practised to elude the British ships ; and advantage was taken 
of that circumstance, to deny to the Commodore the merit of 
having devised it with a view to deceive his adversary; it was 
asserted, that he had rather profited by an unexpected result, 
tlian formed any preconception of the effect his movement 
vp^ould have ; but the assertion was as gratuitous as it was illi- 
beral — if there be any merit in devising a plan to deceive a 
superior enemy, that merit was certainly his in the present case. 

As soon as his pilot-boat returned with the information that 
the Biitish ships had gone to sea, he again weighed anchor, 
and found a clear passage to the ocean. He had a glimpse of 



COMMODORE BARNEY, 217 

his enemy, in the afternoon of that clay, four or five leagues to 
the southeast of him, but his own coin-se being to the north- 
ward and eastward, he pursued it steadily all night, and by the 
next morning was free from all danger of farther annoyance 
from that squadron. ■. 

It was no small matter of triumph, that, after keeping so 
many English ships — never less than_^re, and generally tighl — 
watching his motions for five or six months, he should succeed 
in getting to sea, in their very faces, aad disappoint them of 
their expected prey. But this Avas not the only English squad- 
ron, whose sole occupation during this summer was, to watch 
for and circumvent Commodore Barney ; and there is no doubt 
his capture would have been the cause of as much rejoicing in 
the English fleet as the achievement of the most brilliant en- 
terprise in which they were engaged. He was the most active 
of all the officers of the Republic in the American seas, besides 
which, there was another spur to' the English excitement against 
him, in the reminiscence of former times. — His passage from 
Norfolk was sorely beset, and nothing but the most skilful and 
ingenious manoeuvring could have eluded the numerous efibrts 
to waylay him. In a few days after he had lost sight of the 
Uocknding squadron, he captured a brig fi'om Bristol to 
Charleston — she was under American colors, but her captain 
acknowledged the property to be British, and she was therefore 
detained and manned. Off Turks Island, he discovered three 
large ships having the appearance of being armed, to which he 
gave chase. The pursuit of these vessels carried him down 
upon the north side of Cmj Cos, where about sunset, he dis- 
covered three ships of war, lying with their topsails aback in 
the passage — he observed signals exchanged between these 
ships and the vessels he was chasing, and found himself once 
more under the necessity of resorting to stratagem, to escape a 
perilous predicament : he ordered all the lower sails of the ships 
to be taken in, leaving the high sails set, that his enemy — for 
he did not doubt that they were English ships of war — might 
be induced to believe that he was still pursuing the chase with 
all sail set, and consequently toait for his coining up. He 
stood on thus until dark, and then changed his course and beat 
to windward all night — by the next day he had regained Turk's 
Island passage, from which he had been seduced upon the 
chase the day before, and was thus a second time saved by sheer 
ingenuity from the most imminent hazard. After passing 
through Turks Island channel, he steered for Cape Francois 
19 



218 MEMOIR OF 1 

but very soon had reason to believe, that his enemy were lying 
off that port in wait for him. He fell in with a sloop of war, 
brig, which lie was very near decoying under his very guns by 
signals that she mistook for British ; the moment she discovered 
her error, she got out her oars, and was thus enabled, there 
being but little wind, to make her escape ; but it was perceived, 
that she stood directly for the Cape, and kept up a continued 
firing of alarm guns, which left no doubt that the enemy were 
in force not far off. This inference was confirmed in the after- 
noon of the same day, by the discovery of three ships of the 
line, standing oft' to the rescue of the brig. This furnished a 
third occasion for the display of his masterly skill in nautical 
manoeuvres: — upon the discovery of those ships, which were 
coming down upon him with every prospect of gaining their 
point, he gave orders to tack and stand to the northward ly the 
wind, as if his intention had been to ^e^ to uindward of his 
enemy during the night ; the natural and expected efl'ect of 
this movement, was, that it induced the enemy to pursue the 
chase by the loind also, which they no doubt continued all night; 
but not so the Commodore, for as soon as night came on he 
bore away to the westward before the wind, with all sail set, and 
at day-break next morning his pursuers were no where to be 
seen. 

He was not so fortunate, however, as to enjoy a very long res- 
pite from fatigue and watchfulness ; the seas were filled with 
his enemies, who seemed to have stationed themselves at so ma- 
ny points on his passage as to render final escape impossible. 
At sunrise of this day, he discovered three vessels ahead of him, 
— a three-decker, a frigate, and a cutter — land was insight, 
and his only chance was to push directly for it, and if possible 
get into Port de Paix : he accordingly crowded sail upon his 
ships and steered for that port — his pursuers shortly aftervv'ards 
hoisted English colors and fired a gun to windward, an invitation 
to batde which he was not quite so mad as to accept ; but, in 
answer, hoisted the French national flag and continued his 
course. The enemy persevered in the chase, but it was observ- 
ed that they did not press it with any extraordinary eagerness — 
they did not make all the sail they might have done. The Com- 
modore kept his two ships well together, prepared for action if 
it should be forced upon him, but standing all day steadily for^ 
the shore. About six o'clock in the evening, finding it impos- 
sible to weather the Island, he was compelled to bear away and 
run under the west end of Tortudas in order to get into port ; 



COMMODORE BARNEY. 219 

this change of course brought him -unavoidably nearer the 
enemy, the van of whose ships hd'ppened to be tl)e/n>fl^e, and 
it became her turn to endeavor to get out of the scrape. Ob- 
serving that her colossal consort was at too great a distance'' to 
afford her any assistance, she backed her main, and mizen top- 
sails, and showed that she thought herself quite as near to the 
French ships as it would be prudent to come. In this situation 
of things, the Commodore hailed the hisurgenie, and ordered 
her to open a fire upon the English frigate, which he seconded 
by a few shots from his quarter and stern guns. This seemed 
to throw the enemy into considerable confusion, and compel 
him to tack ship ; but by the time this was effected, the other 
ship came up, and the Medusa directed her fire against her. 
For a few minutes the firing was kept up with some vigor, but 
as this new antagonist — for some reason which could not be 
comprehended — followed the example of the frigate in back- 
ing her topsails, the Commodore thought it prudent to take advan- 
tage of the circumstance and continue his course. Neither of 
his ships had received the slightest damage from the enemy, and 
that night he gained his object by making the land off Port de 
Paix, which he entered safely the next morning. As he en- 
tered the port, he could perceive the hostile ships lying exactly 
where he had left them the evening before, and to all appear- 
ance busy in repairino; damages ! — Thus did he escape the 
fourth division of English ships, which had been posted for the 
express purpose of intercepting him in his passage from Nor- 
folk to the West Indies, and which had been, from March till 
September, traversing all the ordinary tracks for no other ob- 
ject. If his safety may not be attributed to superior nautical skill, 
then we confess ourselves wholly unable to account for it : one 
escape mi^ht have been the effect of chance ; but to ascribe 
his preservation four different times to the operation of the 
same blind principle, would be as contrary to sound philoso- 
phy, as it would be unjust and ungenerous towards one, who 
was as expert in all the arts of his profession as he was gallant, 
brave, and honorable. 

At Port de Paix, the Commodore left his two frigates, and 
proceeded immediately to the Cape, himself, in a small armed 
schooner. The excessive fatigue and unremitted vigilance, to 
which he had subjected himself during the whole of his expos- 
ed and hazardous passage from Norfolk, proved too much for 
his constitution, stout and vigorous as it had been, to bear j 
and he was taken ill as soon as he arrived at the Cape. For 



220 



MEMOIR OP 



sixteen days, his friends entertained scarcely a hope of his re- 
covery ; but at the end of thSt period, his lever took a favora- 
ble turn, and he began slowly to get better. During his con- 
valescence, which was long and tedious, his two frii;ates were 
ordered to France, and were of course obliged to sail without 
him, for he was so feeble and reduced that a voyage to Europe 
at that season of the year, would have been fatal to him. The 
sailing of his frigates, induced the enemy to raise the blockade 
of the port, and shortly afterwards three French frig'ites arriv- 
ed, bringing a number of troops, and a new agent to supply the 
place of Sonthonax. This arrival, instead of adding anything 
to the peace and prosperity of the Colony, rather served to aug- 
ment its distresses and misfortunes ; for while it increased the 
number to be provided for, it brought no melioration of the 
means of providing for them. 

In this state of things, the Commodore found, as he had an- 
ticipated, that the failure of the Baltimore houses to comply 
with their engagements to him, was made the pretext for re- 
fusing to pay him for the supplies which had been actually fur- 
nished. The neiv agents were not at all disposed to expend 
their funds in paying for former supplies, when it would re- 
quire all their ingenuity to make them adequate to the relief of 
present wants. But they told him there would be no difficulty 
in getting his accounts settled in France, where if he desired to 
go for that purpose, one of the frigates in port should be placed 
at his disposal. This was even more civility than he expected 
under the new order of things, and he made no hesitation in 
accepting it. But before he could get ready to embark in the 
frigate the enemy were again in force off the port, and 
1798 abandoning the design of taking passage in her, he 
chartered a small pilot boat, of fifty tons, then lying in 
the harbor, and determined to trust to his good fortune for a 
safe voyage to France. During his present residence at the 
Cape, he had kept up his friendly mtercourse with all the men 
in power, and particularly with the black Generals Touissaint 
and Chrisiophe, who were very attentive to him in his illness, 
and who would gladly have detained him at the Cape, if they 
could have found inducements sufficiently strong to prevail upon 
him. They furnished him with many little comforts for his 
voyage which were not to be purchased with money, and took 
an affectionate leave of him when he departed. 

A French general, attended by an aid-de-camp, who was 
entrusted with despatches for the government, prevailed upon 



COMMODORE BAHNEY. 221 

the Commodore to take them on board his little pilot boat, 
which he preferred to the doubtful chance of getting away in 
one of the frigates. He mounted two guns upon the schooner, 
and counting his passengers and himself, mustered sixteen in- 
dividuals on board ! Thus humbly equipped, he proceeded to 
sea, and was immediately chased by the enemy, who no doubt 
had received intelligence of his being on board ; but he hoisted 
his French colors, made all the sail he could spread to advan- 
tage, and soon left his pursuers behind. A k\v days after he 
had been at sea, he discovered that his water casks leaked, and 
that nearly all his water was wasted. There was no possible 
remedy for such a disaster, in the middle of the ocean, but to 
look out for vessels that might be found kind enough to supply 
them. They fortunately spoke three Americans, before the 
water had entirely given out, and were thus saved from the 
most distressing of all privations, the want of water. The 
schooner was very small, and so deeply laden, that whenever 
the wind blew at all fresh, every sea broke over her and ren- 
dered her excessively uncomfortable — so much so, indeed, 
that they were often obliged, even when the wind was fair, to 
Jmj to and lose all advantage from it. Upon arriving off the 
Portuguese Islands of Corvo and Flores, it was found that their 
supply of water was again becoming so scanty, that though 
these were enemy's ports, it would be necessary, either by 
force or stratagem, to seek to renew it. Tlie Commodore pro- 
posed to hoist English colors and run boldly into port, where 
if opposition should be made, they should resort to force, for 
water must be obtained by some means or other. While the 
two Chefs de Division, naval and military, — whose joint forces, 
as we have seen, themselves included, amounted {osixfeeji men 
— were discussing the safest plan of operations, a sail was 
announced, and they stood for her under English colors — the 
vessel answered the salutation by hoisting her Portuguese flag, 
and a parley ensued ; the Frenchman having found out the 
capacity of their advei'sary, hoisted the National flag, and fired 
a musket, by way of showing what they could do in case of re- 
sistance — which, however, was not attempted — and the Por- 
tuguese hauled down his colors. She was a sloop from Lisbon, 
bound upon a trading voyage among the Islands with a cargo of 
salt, which of all things in the world happened to be that which 
the captors stood least in need of. She had just been into port, 
however, and had a good supply o^ fresh beef and vegetables, 
and plenty oi'ivnter — to these articles, the Commodore helped' 
19* 



222 



MEMOIR OF 



himself liberally, and then, to the most agreeable surprise of 
the Portuguese captain, gave him back his vessel and cargo. 

After a tedious and uncomfortable voyage of forty three 
days, they arrived safely at Corunna, in Spain, — having, a 
few nights before, passed within musket shot of five armed 
ships without being discovered. At Corunna, the Commodore 
and his compagnons du voyage landed, determining to t'-avel 
from thence to Paris by land — the schooner, he despatched 
for Bordeaux. The only mode of travelling in Spain, at this 
period, was on post horses, and these of the most wretched 
sort, meagre, small, and so miserably feeble and poor-spirited, 
that the travellers were seven days and the greater part of the 
eighth night on the road from Corunna to Bayonne. There 
were no inns, or places of public accommodation on the road, 
and they were obliged to sleep in stables, and procure refresh- 
ments as their good luck enabled them among the ill provided 
peasantry. At Bayonne, they were fortunate enough to hire a 
carriage to Bordeaux, in which they travelled not only with 
more comfort but incomparably greater expedition. The Com- 
modore's schooner arrived at Bordeaux two days after himself. 
He sold his cargo of coffee here for a profit oi four hundred, 
per cent and bought himself a neat travelling equipage, in which 
he made bis journey to Paris solus. He arrived at the metro- 
polis in October, and took lodgings at the Hotel Grange, Bati- 
lier. He lost no time, as we may suppose, when we consider 
the heavy responsibilities he had assumed, in waiting upon his 
banker, (who was also his privateer agent,) M. Peregaux. 
He found, that all his drafts upon him in favor of the consul 
general — to the very serious amount of one hundred and 
ihirtyeight thousand dollars — had been paid, but that the 
corresponding bills of that functionary upon the .Ministers of 
Marine and Finance, still remained unpaid : to add to his dis- 
appointment and vexation on this subject, his banker seemed to 
entertain very little hope, that the bills would ever be paid. 
We cannot wonder that such a state of things had an effect even 
upon his high and buoyant spirits, and that he felt in no humor 
to enter into any of the gayeties of Paris. Here was the 
greater part of the fruits of his many toils and perils — the 
means by which he had expected to make his fan>ily independ- 
ent — if not entirely lost to him, at least in alarming jeopardy. 
He reported himself forthwith to the Minister of Marine ; and 
from a hope that his personal exertions might be attended with 
better success than those of his banker, he solicited and readily 



COMMODORE BARNEY. 



223 



obtained permission to remain in Paris, for the purpose of ap- 
plying to tlie proper authorities for payment. — The power of 
the French Republic at this period was overwhelming, and the 
insolence of its government in the same proportion unrestrained 
by any considerations of justice or national virtue. Nearly the 
whole continent, with the exception of Russia and Prussia, had 
been subdued by the invincible soldiers of the Republic, and 
Spain, Italy, and Holland, had not only been conquered, but 
were actually little more than colonies of France. The young 
Corsican, who had won the admiration of the Parisians five 
years before by beating them at the head of the Conventional 
troops, finding no longer a field in Europe for the display of 
his genius, was gone to plant his banners in the land of the Pha- 
roahs ; and intoxicated with constant victories, the government 
gave itself up to more atrocious acts of depravity than had dis- 
graced the nation in its wildest anarchy. The Directory were 
only to be approached by high bribes, which few persons in 
search of mere justice were able to pay ; and every officer 
from the lowest subordinates to the Ministers themselves, sold 
their labors and their influence at a premium which left a claim- 
ant but little hope of receiving anything even when his claim 
was admitted and ordered to be paid. ' 

More than a year was spent by Commodore Barney and his 
friends — of whom he had many and powerful ones — 
1799 before he could obtain anything more than an acknow- 
ledgment of the debt due to him. His very soul revolt- 
ed at the idea of bribing the Directory to do him justice, and 
severe as the loss to him would be, he determined rather to let 
them keep the whole by their own wanton exercise of power, 
than be instrumental in promoting the cause of corruption by 
voluntarily giving any part of it to feed their rapacity. He 
continued to importune them from day to day, but though he 
had no reason to complain of want of civility, he was constant- 
ly told that there was no money in the treasury. With the hope 
perhaps of getting rid of his persevering applications, they ap- 
pointed him to the command of the whole West India fleet, 
and ordered him to proceed immediately to Rochfort, where 
ten ships of war were lying destined for that service : he was 
to take out the agents for the different colonies, and then distri- 
bute his fleet as he thought proper. But even this splendid 
offer did not stop his demands for payment of his claim : he 
was resolved not to move from Paris until some settlement' of 
that was made. At length on the 8th of November, 1799, the 



224 MEMOIR OP 

Directory assured him that he should be paid the next day — 
tlie reader who is conversant with the history of the period, will 
remember that Bonaparte arrived from Egypt in the previous 
month of October, and that on the ninth day of November 
(■ — the day on which the Directory had promised to pay Bar- 
ney,) he took the reins of government into his own hands, and 
on the • next day' was declared First Consul ! Thus was every- 
thing thrown into new forms, and all his solicitations were to be 
repeated through other channels. He positively refused to en- 
ter into service, and made such strong remonstrances to the 
Minister of Marine, that his furlough was renewed, that he 
might continue in Paris to try the effect of an application to the 
First Consul. 

In the revolution of the memorable 9th of November, by 
which the Directory and the two Councils were put down at 
the point of the bayonet, and another of the numerous Consti- 
tutions, which it has been said the celebrated Abbe Sieyes 
always carried in his pocket, imposed upon the people, Com- 
modore Barney took no part. He was not even a looker on at 
the Tuikries, nor had he the curiosity to follow the crowd to 
St Cloud — afterwards rendered so famous as the residence of 
the Imperial Court — to see the legislative body, which had 
been convoked there, thrust out of die Council Chamber by 
the grenadiers of ' the people's idol 1 ' — The Directory had 
managed to render itself odious to all rational and moderate 
friends of liberty, and the Council of Five Hundred was little 
betfer than a mob of Jacobins, who retained all the sanguinary 
principles of the era of Robespierre, and seemed to act under 
the persuasion that their countrymen were to be governed only 
by a system of terror. Under such circumstances, it was hardly 
possible that any change in the government could be for the 
worse ; and the subject of our narrative had never felt suffi- 
cient interest in the internal affairs of France, to range himself 
under the banner of any of the various political parties, into 
which it had been from year to year, and indeed from month to 
month, divided. He contented himself, therefore, with wait- 
ing quietly until order shoidd be again restored, and in the 
meantime found full ofcn|)atioii in looking into his private 
affairs, which unfortunately for him, he was but too much in the 
habit of trusting to the management of others. The reader 
will recollect that he was largely concerned in several privateer 
cruisers, besides the cutter which was his own exclusive pro- 
perty, and that this was the first opportunity he had had, for 



COMMODORE BARNEV. 



225 



several years, of ascertaining whether their enterprises had 
been sLiccessful or otherwise. He learned, upon inquiry, that 
they had captured and sent in many rich and valuable prizes, 
his portion of which would probably nearly cover the loss, 
which there was but too much reason to fear he should sustain, 
by the failure of the government to repay his advances; but, 
when he called upon the several agents an 1 persons concerned, 
for a settlement of their respective accounts, he was soon convinc- 
ed that he had nothing to hope from that source. He had placed 
his confidence in sharpers and swindlers, from whose gripe it 
was impossible to rescue, by any process of force or persua- 
sion, the various sums which had at different times fallen into 
their hands : the amount, of which he was defrauded by the 
villainy of a single individual, concerned in one of the priva- 
teers, was upwards of one hundred thousand dollars — his ag- 
gregate loss was, of course, nearly double that sum : — we say 
loss, because the money had been actually gained, and was le- 
gally and justly his property. 

But there was a still deeper vexation in store for him, from a 
source from which he but little expected anything unfair or 
dishonorable. It is perhaps remembered by the reader, that in 
the year 1794, just before he accepted the appointment of Chef 
de Division in the service of the Republic, he had received 
from the Committee of Finance an acknowledgment of the 
debt due his partner and himself by the St Domingo agents, 
for a part of the Sampson's cargo, and that orders had been 
given to the French Minister in the United States to provide 
for its payment out of the debt due by the government of the 
latter to France, upon his visit to Bordeaux in that year, for 
the purpose ot despatching the several vessels which had brought 
out the flour under his contract with the French Minister, we 
mentioned that he had been so fortunate, as he then thought, 
to sell his claim upon the French government to a house in Bor- 
deaux, which had enabled him to make a full return to his part- 
ner upon their flour contract, without detaining his vessels to 
wait for the brandies, for which he had the orders of the Com- 
mittee of Finance, but which could not have been collected for 
several months in sufficient quantities to load his several vessels. 
He regarded ns fortunate this sale of his claim, not because he 
entertained the slightest doubt of its validity — for that had al- 
ready been acknowledged — or that he believed there would be 
any obstacle to its being provided for as the government had 
prescribed — but its sale, at that moment, enabled him to close 



226 



MEMOIR OP 



accounts with his partner at home, freed him from all business 
obligations in which the interests of others were in his charge, 
and left him at liberty to enter the service of the Republic, 
which he had only been prevented from doing, (when the Na- 
tional Convention had in a manner so honorable to him pressed 
it upon him,) by a sense of duty to those who were concerned 
with him in the affairs that brought him to France. He had 
believed it to be explicitly understood, that the Bordeaux house 
purchased the claim at their own 'risk and peril : ihey were as 
well acquainted with its nature as he was, and much better ac- 
quainted with the French government and the credit due to its 
financial arrangements — the only risk or peril, however, appre- 
hended on either side was the delay that might occur in its 
final payment; and this delay was of course taken into consid- 
eration in adjusting the terms of purchase and sale. They 
purchased the claim upon terms which they believed would 
bring them a handsome profit — the seller, on the other hand, 
was contented with his bargain, solely for the reasons .we have 
stated ; he gained time, and became at once master of his own 
actions. But it would have been infinitely better for him, as it 
turned out, to have waited until the next year's crop of grapes 
had been distilled into brandy, or have bound himself by new 
obligations to other men's business for an indefinite sum than 
have purchased bis freedom at so dear a rate. — He had scarce- 
ly left France with the honorable command of two frigates for 
the West Indies, when suit was instituted against him at Bor- 
deaux, to recover back the money which had been paid him 
for the claim against the government ! Though it had been 
perfectly understood that consideiable delay might occur in the 
payment of the claim by the government, and this delay had 
been taken into calculation in the purchase, besides the consid- 
eration that it was di final bargain so far as the seller was con- 
cerned, it seems this Bordeaux house, having failed in their first 
application to the government, lost their temper, as well as their 
recollection of the terms of agreement, and forthwith resorted to 
the Courts to enforce restitution from the seller. In the ab- 
sence of Commodore Barney from the country, and the fail- 
ure of any person to appear for him in Bordeaux to defend the 
suit, it was no difficult matter for a wealthy and influential firm, 
to obtain a judgment against him in the Court at Bordeaux. 
On his return to France, he of course appealed from this ini- 
quitous judgment, and carried the cause through all the various 
forms of judicial appeal then known to the laws of the Repub- 



COMMODORE BARNEY. 



227 



lie ; but as in truth the Courts were mere forms, where bribery 
and corruption never failed to carry the day against law and 
equity, he was finally condemned to pay the enormous sum of 
jiftyone, thousand dollars, being seventeen thousand more than 
the original amount of his claim on the government, and con- 
siderably upwards of twenty thousand more than he had receiv- 
ed for if! But in addition to this, a large portion of the claim 
-had been actually paid by the government to the Bordeaux 
house, so that they made a handsome speculation by their in- 
timacy with the modes of doing business in the French Repub- 
hc ! It was in vain to protest against such prostitution of justice : 
he would not have resorted to tbe same means that were so 
successfully employed against him, to have saved himself from 
beggary and ruin ; and he was consequently compelled to sub- 
mit. He was now actually minus, by his connexion with the 

Republic, nearly two hundred thousand dollars, and 
1800 it cannot be matter of wonder, that he should feel no 

interest in the important political events that were now 
bursting upon the world from the revolution of St Cloud. 

As soon as the first Consul, by his prompt and decisive 
measures, and his intuhive sagacity as a statesman, had restored 
order to the several departments of the new government, and 
was at leisure to attend to minor concerns and the complaints of 
individuals, the Commodore procured an introduction to him, 
through his friend Admiral Gantheaume, for the purpose of re- 
newing to the head of the Government application for the pay- 
ment of his claims. The First Consul received him with tbe 
most winning urbanity, entered into immediate and rapid dis- 
course with him respecting the United States, the situation of 
St Domingo, the conduct of the agents there, &;c, and seemed to 
be as well acquainted as Barney himself with all the subjects 
upon which he asked his information. He invited him to dine 
with him, hoped he should see him often at his levees, and 
bowed him out without giving an opportunity for a word to be 
said in relation to the claim. It was gaining something, how- 
ever, he thought, to have had such an introduction as placed 
him at once in the distinguished circle that surrounded the ' 
great man, and he was determined to lose nothing by neglect- 
ing to use the privileges allowed him. He attended all the mil- 
itary parades, in his uniform of Chefde Division, or general 
officer, never missed one of Josephine's elegant and agreeable 
soirees, and had the honor of frequent invitations to the table of 
the Consul. But all this brought him no money ; he found 



228 



MBMOIR OF 



that he did not advance a single step nearer towards obtaining 
a settlement of his claim ; and the only effect of the distinction 
with which he was treated by the great Captain, was to raise up 
a host of enemies against him in the jealous sycopliants, who 
even then formed a regular body of courtiers, who lived upon 
the smiles of the future emperor. It was in vain he applied to 
every person supposed to have influence with the Consul; — 
those who were willing to promise the liquidation of his claim, 
made such extravagant demands, as fees of office, amounting 
to one third, and sometimes to one half, the sums to be receiv- 
ed, that he preferred to lose the whole, rather than submit to 
the imposition. Tired at length of fruitless solicitation, he de- 
termined to return to the United States, and for that purpose, 
in October of this year, he demanded his discharge irom the 
French service ; but the consul refused to grant it at that mo- 
ment, on the flattering pretence that he had, or would soon have, 
important occasion for his services, which he added might be 
the more willingly rendered since peace had been made be- 
tween his native and adopted countries. As he could not with 
propriety insist upon throwing up his commission at the moment 
he was told that his services would be wanted, he was obliged 
to make up his mind as well as he could to the disappointment ; 
and resolved to employ the time of his further detention at Pa- 
ris, in still pursuing every measure circumstances might suggest 
to bring about a settlement of his claim. But it was all to no 
purpose : several laws were passed which funded certain debts 
of particular years, and his was among the number for which 
this future provision was made; and upon ihe conclusion of the 
treaty with the United States, he was admitted to claim as an 
American citizen, but there was no specific provision for his pay- 
ment, and he could only come in under the general article pre- 
scribing the reciprocal liquidation of att debts between the two 
nations. 

About this period, w^e find among his papers, a letter from La 
Fayette, alluding to certain generous plans to rescue his wife 
and family from Jacobinical tyranny, but when, where, or what 
these plans were, we regret our total incapability to explain, as 
the Commodore made no memorandum of the circumstance, nor 
a single note in his journal in reference to it. The letter gives 
no elucidation of the incident, being altogether one of grateful 
acknowledgment, and of regret that circumstances prevent his 
' coming nearer the capital' that he might have the pleasure of 
taking by the hand an American fellow-citizen, who has glori- 



COMMODORE BARNEY. 



229 



ously supported the flag of the Unhed States, and the republi- 
can colors of France.' There is one passage in the letter, 
which shows how clearly the writer foresaw the end to which 
the revolution was hastening, and how well he understood the 
character of his countrymen. After his allusion to the Jaco- 
binism of the former councils, he speaks of the elevation of the 
First Consul, as the proceedings of a coalition more congenial to 
the opposite extreme, than either party seem to be aware of ! 
If the book of destiny had been unrolled before him, he could 
not have spoken with a more prophetic spirit. 

After waiting nearly two years longer, during which time the 
'occasion for his services' to which the Consul had alluded, 
did not occur, he renewed his application to be discharg- 
1802 ed, and it was now complied with, in a manner well cal- 
culated to soothe his feelings and gratify his pride. He 
was placed upon the pension roll at an allowance of fifteen hun- 
dred pounds per annum during life, and received a letter from 
the Minister of Marine, written by order of the consul, in which 
his services to the republic are spoken of in the highest terras 
of compliment. The pension he never claimed, nor would he 
have received it under any circumstances of the direst necessi- 
ty j but he felt proud of the testimony given to his merits, be- 
cause he was conscious his conduct had deserved it. — An in- 
timate friend of the Commodore, the late Paul Bentalou, Esq. of 
Baltimore — a gallant soldier of our revolution, who fought un- 
der the banner of the brave Pulaski — v/as at this time in Paris, 
and kindly took upon himself the charge of those private affairs 
which he was still obliged to leave unsettled ; and the Commo- 
dore, leaving with him full powers to act in his behalf, bade 
adieu to the capital on the first of July, 1802, and on the 14th 
of the same month embarked at Havre de Grace for the United 
States. 



20 



CHAPTER XVI. 

Bad condition of the ship ' Neptune.' — STie puts into Fayal for repairs. — Po- 
liteness of the American consul there. — Difficulty of procuring requisite ma- 
terials. — Trade winds. — Ignorance and obstinacy of the captain ol the Nep- 
tune. — Storm off Cape Hatteras. — The Neptune sinks. — Passengers and 
crew saved by a small schooner. — Exorbitant demand of her skipper for taking 
them into Hampton. — The Commodore arrives at Baltimore. — Reflections 
upon his past career ; — calumnies refuted. — Disappointments in the settle- 
mentof his affairs : — active hostility of those whom he had most befriended : 
— baseness of his St Domingo agent: — law suits. — His family. — Arrival of 
Jerome Bonaparte and suite at Baltimore : — they take up their residence with 
the Commodore : — excursions through the country : — JcromeytiZZs in love : — 
remonstrance and.advice thrown away upon him : — his marriage. — Anecdotes 
of General Reubel. — Restoration of the value of ship Sampson and cargo. — 
The Commodore establishes his three sons in business with a large capital. — 
He receives a large remittance from Paris : — becomes a candidate lor Con- 
gress — his popularity in Baltimore proof against slander. ^- ' Chesapeake 
affair.' — He offers his services to Mr Jefferson. — Death of Mrs Barney. — 
He renews the offer of his services to Mr Madison. — His last commercial 
enterprise — and its loss. — He takes a second wife : — becomes again a can- 
didate for Congress, and is a second time defeated. 

The vessel in which out ci-devant French citizen and Chefde 
Division des Armees JYavaJes, embarked on his homeward voy- 
age, was an old French ship, with an American captain, hound 
to Norfolk. She had a number of passengers, among whom 
the Commodore was gratified to recognise one or two of his 
Bahimore friends. At present, the voyage to and from Europe 
and the United States, is a matter of such every day occur- 
rence, and the regular monthly and weekly packets afford such 
comfortable accommodations, that a passenger has no chance of 
forming an idea how differently the same thing was managed 
thirty years ago. He has now his choice of half a dozen fine, 
elegant ships, perhaps, all splendidly fitted for the very purpose 
of conveying him in the speediest, easiest, and safest manner to 
the desired port, and if it be not convenient for him to sail to- 
day, he has the same choice tomorrow, and every day in the 
v/eek «— but thirty years ago, if he were not alert enough to 
take advantage of the first chance that offered, he might not 



MEMOIR OF COMMODORE BARNEY. 



231 



find another for a month afterwards, and even then be con- 
fined to ' Hobson's choice.' — Such in fact was the case with 
those who took passage in the ' Neptune ;' nothing but the un- 
certainty of meeting with another opportunity, in any definite 
term of delay, could have induced them to embark in a ship 
which held out so few promises either, of speed, comfort, or 
safety. While the weather continued good, however, which it 
did for several days after they left the harbor, she fared, as they 
say of other females at certain times, which sooner or later come 
to most of them, ' as well as could be expected' — but when 
the wind began to blow, and the sea to fret, she began to labor, 
and crack, and leak, as if her last hour were come, and she 
were about to descend to the ' dark, unfathomed caves' of the ' 
deity whose name she bore. — A council of safety being held 
on the yjremises, it was determined to steer for the nearest port 
in the Western Islands ; and after a few days longer of very un- 
comfortable prospects, they arrived at Fayal. The Commodore 
found an old friend in the American consul, through whose at- 
tenUon and politeness they readily obtained all the assistance 
which the Island would afford in refitting the ship ; but as iew 
of the requisite articles for that purpose were to be procured, 
they were obliged to content themselves with mere temporary 
expedients, and trust again to the chance of good weather. 
The truth is, the ship was too old to stand the slightest shock of 
the sea, and after being out a iew days from Fayal, her diabetic 
complaint returned upon her more copiously tlian ever, and it 
was deemed advisable to bear away to the southward for the 
purpose of getting into the trade winds and the moderate weather 
which generally prevails in their track. The passage was of 
of course necessarily long and tedious, but rendered still more 
so by the ignorance and obstinacy of the captain, who was 
alike unacquainted with navigation, and unwilling to take advice. 
At length, in September, they made the coast of North Caro- 
lina, and got soundings a little to the south of Cape Hatteras ; in 
this situation, the captain, being afraid of approaching too near 
the coast, in defiance of all remonstrance and persuasion, insist- 
ed upon lying to all night in the Gulf stream, with the wind blow- 
ing fresh from the east and a heavy sea running. The natural 
consequence was, that before morning, notwithstanding the con- 
stant labor at the pumps, which was alternately shared by every 
person on board, the water had gained so rapidly upon her, 
that it became necessary to lighten her. In this the passengers, 
whose lives were at a stake, did not choose to wait for the de- 



232 MEMOIR OF 

cision of the captain, but commenced at once by throwing over- 
board everything thing that came in their way. Ah this how- 
ever did not lighten her sufficiently, and a part of the cargo 
was doomed to the same destruction. They then attempted to 
make for the land, but the ship was still so deep in the water 
that she made but little head-way, and had been drifted so far to 
the eastward by the current, that all their eflbrts proved unavail- 
ing. During the whole of that and the succeeding night, the 
labor at the pumps was without one moment's intermission ; and 
on the morning of the 29th September, the water in the hold 
wasnp to the lower deck,^uA the weather thick and threatening. 
The land was still distant from them, and there seemed to be no 
hope left, that they could keep the ship afloat long enough to 
reach it. 

While they were in this state of gloomy anticipation, the 
light of hope broke upon them once more, in the appearance 
of a small schooner, at no great distance from them. This was 
at eight o'clock in the morning. They immediately hoisted sig- 
nals of distress, which for some time the schooner did not seem 
to perceive ; at length, however, she bore down within hail, and 
upon being informed of their situation, the captain, apparently 
with some reluctance, promised to receive them on board. The 
sea was running very high at the moment, and it seemed doubt- 
ful whether a small boat could hve in it ; but while others were 
hesitating whether to run the hazard, the Commodore with the 
assistance of a couple of the men hoisted out the boat, jumped 
into her and pushed off for the schooner. It was fortunate for 
the rest of them that he did so, for her captain seemed so unwill- 
ing to remain near the ship, that he would most probably have 
abandoned her to her fate, but for the presence and persuasion 
of Barney. In getting on board the schooner, he was thrown 
against the main chains, and very severely wounded in the leg; 
but this did not prevent his making every exertion to save his 
fellow passengers and the crew of the sinking ship. He ma- 
ncEuvredthe schooner so as to keep her near ; the small boat was 
sent back — the long boat was hoisted out, and in the course 
of the day, by much distressing toil, it was managed to get 
every body out of the ship, together with the greater part of 
their clothing, and a small quantity of provisions. As the last 
individuals left the ship, the water was running into her cabin 
windows, and shortly afterwards she went down, head foremost, 
never to ride the waves again. 

They w^ere now in fifteen fathom water off Currituck. The 



COMMODORE BARNEY. 



233 



schooner which had so providentially come to their rescue, wa 
very small, loaded with salt, and of course but ill provided with 
accommodations for an addition of tiventy eight souls to her crew ; 
but even the necessity of lying upon deck, in wet clothes, was 
better than the chance of safety which their boats would have 
offered them, and we may very well believe they did not regret 
the alternative. The Commodore, as soon as the busde and 
excitement of the scene were over, began to suffer very 
severe pain from his leg, which was not only badly cut 
but much bruised ; but there was nothing on board the 
schooner to offer him relief, and he was obliged to bear it with 
such philosophy as the situation inspired. The next considera- 
tion was, how and where they were to find a port — the cap- 
tain of the schooner was not one of the most accommodating of 
his class, and was not inclined to put himself much out of his 
way for mere humanity's sake : he was but a day's sail from 
Norfolk, and he agreed to land them there for five hundred 
dollars ! Money seldom has the same value to persons in the 
situation of the Commodore and his fellow-sufferers, that it has 
in the eyes of speculators and traders, and the latter have gener- 
ally an instinct in finding out where they may be exorbitant with- 
out risk. The bargain was struck between them, and they steer- 
ed for the Capes of Virginia, which they entered the next 
night; and on the 1st October they were landed at Hampton 
— not desiring to put the captain further out of his way, than 
was absolutely necessary. Their landing here was, perhaps, a 
fortunate circumstance, as they escaped the hazard of the 
yellow fever, which they were informed was prevailing at Nor- 
folk. The Commodore found it necessary to employ a physician 
here to his wounded limb, which detained him several days. 
He was the bearer of despatches from Mr Livingston, then 
our minister at Paris, for the President, which he thought it 
best to send on from Hampton by the first opportunity, rather 
than detain them until he should be able to deliver them in person. 
Having done this he gave himself wholly to the care of his wound, 
and on the 6th was able to get on board a packet for Baldmore, 
where he arrived two days afterwards. He barely took time to 
greet his family, before he proceeded to Washington, believing 
it his duty to wait upon the President that he might give him 
an opportunity of asking such questions in relation to France as 
his late connexion with that country would enable him to answer 
with propriety. His late sufferings and fatigue had enfeebled 
him too much to bear his habitual rapidity of motion —he was 
20* 



234 



MEMOIR OP 



seized with a fever the day after he reached Washington, and 
confined to his bed for several days. On the 23d, however, he 
was well enough to take his dinner with Mr Jefferson — who 
had been very kind, and personally attentive to him, in his sick- 
ness — and the next day he returned once more to the bosom 
of his family. 

Thus terminated an absence from his home and country of 
more than eight years. It could not properly be called an ex- 
patriation ; for he had never for one moment lost his affection 
for his native land, or in a single instance swerved from the 
principles which had led him, twentyseven years before, to 
jeopard all he had — his life — in defence of her liberties. To 
doubt the patriotism of one who had passed through the nine 
years' ordeal of the Revolution, under so many vicissitudes of 
fortune, unchanged and faithful to the last, as Commodore 
Barney had done, would be to deny that any such principle of 
action or motive of conduct exists in the human heart ; for we 
are bold to say, if he possessed it not, history is a fable, and the 
monuments raised to their country's champions, from the days 
of Brutus to the present, record the dreams of poets and not 
the actions of heroes. When Commodore Barney went to 
France, in 1794, he had not the most remote idea of remaining 
there longer than would be necessary to accomplish the com- 
mercial objects of his mission ; but the unexpected and very 
flattering reception which he met with from the National Con- 
vention, relumed the spark of chivalry in his bosom ; and tb 
his natural love of enterprise was added a feeling of resentment 
at his recent treatment by the English, which determined him 
to seize the only opportunity he might have of retaliation. 
That he did not immediately accept the appointment so publicly 
and in so complimentary a manner pressed upon him by the 
Convention, is an honorable proof how litde he permitted his 
personal wishes and feelings to interfere with the concerns of 
others : he had undertaken to transact a certain business in 
which a partner had as much interest as himself; another 
might have accomplished it, perhaps, with equal success, but 
the trust had been reposed in him, and he would not have 
neglected it, to have been made commander in chief of the 
"j^ijench navy. We shall soon have occasion to see, how difFer- 
.eni'iVthe agents and delegates in whom he reposed confidence, 
^ctgL;! towards him. Punctilious himself in the discharge of every 
duty hs^' undertook, he was peculiarly exposed to be deceived 
by otheri.'' ', ^"^^ ""^^^ woful experience had taught him the con- 



COMMODORE BARNEV. 835 

trary, he never doubted that every man who was received in 
society as a gentleman, was as scrupulous and exact in his no- 
tions of honor as himself, and to have hesitated in confiding in 
him, he would have regarded as little less insulting than pulling 
his nose. But we shall have more to say on this subject in a 
little while. Let us at present take a short retrospect of his 
eight years' services to France. For nearly three years of this 
period, he was commander in chief of the naval forces of the 
Republic in the West Indies ; and though his enemy, during 
the whole of that time, exceeded him in number and force, 
nearly as ten to one, he lost none of his ships of war, and but 
one vessel of any description that was under his immediate pro- 
tection. When we consider how often, and under how many 
disadvantageous circumstances, he met that enemy, it is im- 
possible to withhold the acknowledgment, that this fact alone 
entitles him to the highest degree of praise, for vigilance, pru- 
dence, and professional skill. — To his generous exertions, and 
to the liberal disbursement of his own private funds, not only 
were the suffering inhabitants of St Domingo indebted for pre- 
servation from the horrors of famine, but France owed the re- 
tention of her colony. The French Directory, of the period, 
were so sensible of this fact, that they made it the subject of an 
especial communication to the Council of Five Hundred, in 
which they acknowledge the obligations of the nation to ' Cit- 
oyen Barney, ' in the warmest terms of eulogy. It was not 
often they condescended to notice any but the most brilliant 
military achievements, and we may hence infer how highly they 
estimated the services which could induce them thus to step 
beyond their ordinary course. — We have already mentioned 
m_ore than once — but it is proper it should be repeated here — 
that during the lawless and unprincipled depredations of the 
belligerents upon neutral Commerce, which grew out of the 
British Orders in Council, when Commodore Barney, in right 
of his affiliation with the Republic, purchased and fitted out 
sundry vessels to cruise against the enemy's trade, he expressly 
forbade them to interfere with American property — a prohibi- 
tion which they never in a single instance infringed. — We have 
seen further, that, from the moment in which actual hostilities 
commenced between the United States and France, until long 
after the treaty of peace was concluded, he did not engage in 
any active service for the Republic ; having spent the whole of 
that time in Paris, in endeavoring to settle his private affairs. — 
In the teeth of these facts, which were as notorious as any other 



236 



MEMOIR OF 



incidents of the French Revolution, his acceptance of the dis- 
tinction conferred upon him by the French Republic, became 
the fruitful source of calumnies and slanders, and the pretext 
for quarrels, enmities, and ill-will, which pursued him in various 
forms of harassing persecution from the moment of his return 
to the close of his life. 

As soon as the Commodore became a little renovated by re- 
pose from the fatigues of his tedious and disastrous voyage, 
he began to look into the various commercial concerns in which 
he had an interest, and which he had for so many years entire- 
ly trusted to the management of others. If he had met with 
the same justice from others which had regulated all his own 
dealings, it is very certain that he would have been enabled, on 
his return to Baltimore, to set himself down to the quiet and 
peaceable enjoyment of a fortune little short of half a million 
of dollars ; but from the many hints we have already given of 
his inattention to the details of trade, and of his unlimited confi- 
dence in the honesty of those with whom he was connected in 
business, the reader will not be surprised to learn that his investi- 
gations ended in a very different result. The old partnership 
concern, of which we have so often spoken, was found to be en- 
tanded in such a web of difficulties — owing to the hoolcs 
having been burned — that the only hope of unravelling it 
was in a resort to a lawsuit. 

The young gentleman whom he had constituted his agent at 
St Domingo in 1796, and to whom he had previously extended 
his friendship in France, had retired from the Cape, in eigh- 
teen months after the Commodore established him, with a for- 
tune of upwards of forty thousand dollars for himself, but noth- 
ing for his constituent ! This is the more remarkable, as he 
was so entirely penny less when he arrived at the Cape that but 
for the kindness of Commodore Barney in advancing money to 
him, he would have been without the means of procuring a 
day's subsistence. He not only opened his purse to him, but 
took him under his protection — which was as necessary to his 
success as money — introduced him to his friends, and placed 
in his hands the management of all his affairs, both public and 
private contracts. The return of this young man to the United 
States in so short a time, with so handsome a fortune, would 
not be perhaps out of the course of commercial enterprise, and 
would scarcely deserve to be noticed if the affairs of his friend 
and principal had prospered in the same ratio under his indus- 
trious and skilful management. But the fact is the very reverse 



COMMODORE BARNEY. 237 

— the affairs entrusted to hiin were not only left unsettled and 
unprosperous but actually sunk into inextricable disorder and 
embarrassment. Nor is this all ; during the protracted absence 
of the Commodore in France, this model of fidelity and grati- 
tude trumped up a claim against him for services ren- 

1803 dered, to an enormous amount, for which he demanded 
payment of the Commodore's /a«^^7y, and threatened to 
seize and sell the house over their heads — thus in return for 
the paternal kindnesses he had received in times of utmost need, 
would behave turned the wife and children of his absent bene- 
factor into the street ! He did actually institute a lawsuit 
against the maker of his fortune — his claims were examined 

— every item of his account was admitted by the Commodore 
without question — and the result was a balance in favor of the 
agent of less than a hundred dollars. How, and from what 
capital, he had made for himself kvty thousand dollars, while 
he brought his friend and constituent in debt, were inquiries 
left to his own conscience; they were not pressed into the trial 
which resulted in the addidon of some eighty or ninety dollars 
to" his splendid success at the Cape. And is it possible, (the 
reader will exclaim,) that this young man — who, upon his mar- 
riage in France, was indebted to tha benevolence of Commo- 
dore Barney for the means of bringing his wife home ; who, 
afterwards, upon landing at Cape Francois without one dollar in 
his pocket, found the same friend ready to relieve his necessi- 
ties, to take him into his confidence, and to place him in the re- 
sponsible and lucrative post of agent for extensive and important 
concerns — could harbor the idea for a moment of turning the 
family of his benefactor out of doors, for the pitiful balance of 
eighty or ninety dollars ? It is a sorry exhibition of human na- 
ture, but it is nevertheless true. This man, as might be readi- 
ly anticipated, became one of the most inveterate and implaca- 
ble enemies of the Commodore ; and in conjunction with the 
several individuals to whom he had given contracts for the sup- 
ply ,.of the Cape with provisions, and pro^ecfio?i5 for their vessels 
against French privateers, resorted to every means which base- 
ness and malice could suggest to calumniate and injure him, not 
only in the estimation of his fellow-citizens but in that of the gen- 
eral government. They succeeded but too well for a time in 
destroying the peace and happiness of their victim ; but truth 
always sooner or later prevails against the most artful machina- 
tions, and the public were not long in discovering the baseness 
of the motives that actuated his persecutors and calumniators. 



238 



MEMOIR OP 



In addition to these heavy causes of annoyance and embarrass- 
ment, the Commodore was unable to obtain any satisfactory ac- 
count of the expenditure, or waste, of the large sums which he 
had at various times transmitted to his agent, as well for the use 
of his family as for investment, and which had been, somehow 
or other, reduced to a mere trifle. Thus did disappointment, 
chagrin, and perplexity, meet him at every step of his investiga- 
tion into his pecuniary resources — instead of finding himself 
master, as he knew he ought to be, of a splendid independence, 
he was driven to perpetual lawsuits to recover even the small 
balances that were acknowledged to be his due, and but that he 
had always retained something in his own hands, for fear of ac- 
cidents, he would now have been in actual distress in the midst 
of those who owed their fortunes to his enterprise and his friend- 
ship. It is a remarkable fact, that he should in no instance of 
his life have found an agent faithful ! His own integrity and 
singleness of heart, as we have already remarked, rendered him 
unsuspicious and confident, and exposed him in a peculiar man- 
ner to be deceived by the cunning and duplicity of the dishon- 
est. His roaming mode of life, too, while it shut him out from 
the possibility of giving that degree of attention which every 
man owes to his own affairs, offered opportunities to his agents 
too tempting to be resisted, and those who under other circum- 
stances might have proved faithful, when they found large sums 
daily coming into their hands, for which month after month pass- 
ed without their being called to a reckoning, began at last to 
think it would never come and appropriated them to their own 
use. That he should find his bitterest persecutors in those 
upon whom he had bestowed most favors, is no more than every 
other man in this world has found who has had favors to be- 
stow ; but still no man feels this dereliction the less sensibly 
because it belongs to the depravity of human nature; and an hon- 
est, warm hearted, benevolent sailor feels it more strongly per- 
haps than an individual of any other class, because he is in the 
habit of forming his judgment of others from his own heart, and 
the disappointment is the severer from being wholly unexpect- 
ed. — In the midst of his perplexities, he was called upon to 
pay a debt for which he had become security on a joint bond 
some fifteen years before, which swallowed up nearly four thou- 
sand dollars of his reduced funds, and for which, of course, he 
never received even the thanks of the individual for whose use 
it was paid. 

We purposely omitted to mention, at the time of its occur- 



COMMODORE BARNEY 239 

rence, a fact which we thought would be better brought to the 
reader's attention, on the return of the Commodore to his fam- 
ily, because it then would be remembered, in refutation of one 
of the calumnies growing out of his foreign service. The read- 
er will recollect, that when Commodore Barney left Paris for 
Holland, in obedience to the first order he received after enter- 
ing the French service, he took his son with him as far as Dun- 
kirk, from which port he despatched him to the United States. 
The object for which he sent him home was to bear to his wife the 
intelligence of his having accepted a commission in the French 
navy, and the most earnest entreaties that she would join him at 
Paris with all the family as early as possible, where preparation 
had been made for their reception before he left that city. Mrs 
Barney, however, though this proposition of the Commo- 
dore was ardently seconded by her son William, who was ihen 
in his fifteenth year, and fully competent to be the escort of the 
family, entertained so unconquerable a horror of a sea voyage, 
that no entreaties could prevail upon her to undertake it, 
and the design was necessarily abandoned. It was perhaps 
as well, as events turned up, that she did not remove the family 
to Paris ; for, as we have seen, the Commodore was as little at 
Paris for the first three or four years of his service as he was 
at Baltimore, and when at length he returned thither in 1798, it 
was with the design, constantly frustrated from day to day, of 
retiring from the service and rejoining his family in the United 
States. — This little explanation, we trust, will satisfy those of 
our readers who found cause of censure in the apparent readi- 
ness of the Commodore to ahenate himself so long from his 
family, and it is an answer to those of his enemies who, at the 
moment of his return, took pains to circulate the calumny that 
he was as destitute of conjugal and parental affection as of pat- 
riotism 1 — Yes! we firmly believe it : but in a very different 
sense from the meaning of his calumniators ; if the man who 
never for an instant swerved from the most heroic devotion to his 
country through the gloomiest period of her struggles, can with 
truth be said to be destitute of patriotism, then it may with 
equal justice be affirmed that he was destitute of conjugal and 
parental affection — but until the first can be established, the 
last must remain incredible. No man ever lived with a heart 
more warmly susceptible of all the domestic affections than the 
subject of this narrative, and we believe that no man ever en- 
joyed in a higher degree the love and devotion of wife and chil- 



240 



MEMOIR OF 



dren — a circumstance which would be altogetlier unnatural 
upon the presumption that such love and devotion were unre- 
quited. 

In July of this year the Commodore was called off for a little 
while from the troublesome and vexatious investigation of his 
money concerns by the unexpected visit of Jerome Bonaparte, 
the youngest brotjier of Napoleon, to the United States. He 
had received from the Consul the commission of Capiiainc de 
Vaisseau, without having, however, the slightest pretensions to 
a knowledge of its duties, and had taken the opportunity of a 
cruise in the West India seas, to make a visit to Baltimore. 
He was accompanied by his friend General Reubel, a secre- 
tary, physician, and a large suite of attendants, all of whom 
were immediately invited by the Commodore to reside with him 
during their stay in the city — an invitation which was very 
gratefully accepted, and they remained several weeks to par- 
take the elegant hospitality of his family. Upon Jerome's ex- 
pressing a wish to visit Philadelphia, the Comnlodore gratified 
him by planning an agreeable excursion through York, Lan- 
caster, the Springs, and other fashionable places of summer 
resort, to all which he accompanied and introduced him. They 
passed several days in Philadelphia, with which Jerome pro- 
fessed to be very much pleased ; and as everybody connected 
with the Great Captain was more or less ' a lion' in the United 
States, the Commodore lost no opportunity of gratifying the 
very natural curiosity of his fellow-citizens by ' showing off' the 
young Jerome at all public places within reach. — The Races 
at the beautiful village of Havre-de-Grace, on the Susquehanna, 
offered one of these occasions, and an immense concourse of 
countrymen from the neighboring counties had there the chance 
of seeing, what subsequent events made a matter to talk of 
for the rest of their lives — the future Ki7ig of Westphalia — 
the brother of the greatest man in the world ! — A short time 
after their return to Baltimore, the Races at Govane's-town 
took place, and there for the first time Jerome saw the beautiful 

Miss P . A single glance was enough to fire his heart — 

he had never seen so lovely a creature before, and forgetting 
brother, empire, future prospects, and everything but the 
fascinating object before him, he insisted upon an introduction 
to her, and very soon appealed to the friendship of the Com- 
modore to aid him in his matrimonial designs. The Commo- 
dore very prudently and firmly remonstrated with him against 



COMMODORE BARNEY. 



241 



ihe folly of forming an attachment with any lady in the United 
States, situated as he was — under age, and entirely de 
1804 pendent upon his brother, who had no doubt other views 
for him : he reminded him that the laws of France 
would not recognise a marriage so contracted, and that in the 
event of his brother's objecting to it, the innocent and Jovely 
object of his affections would be torn from him and the conse- 
quence could not be otherwise than painful to all parties. Com 
modore Barney felt it to be his further duty to mai<e the same 
representations to Miss P and her family, and thus in- 
stead of assisting Jerome in the step which he seemed resolved 
upon taking, he did everything that strict propriety would justify 
to prevent its consummation. Our readers need not be told 
how little his arguments availed on either side — the marriage 
was probably delayed by his interference, but at length look 
place on Christmas day 1804 — the whole world are acquainted 
with the result. 

While Jerome was thus laying up for himself and others the 
fruits of future regrets and unhappiness, his friend General 
Reubel, in whom there existed no obstacle to the surrender of 
his heart, had been equally fascinated with another of the Bal- 
timore belles — the daughter of a French gentleman who had 
come to this country from France immediately after the Alli- 
ance, and had borne his share of the dangers and honors of 
our revolutionary struggle. He had a large family of children 
but his fortune was sufficiently ample to promise a handsome 
portion to them all. The addresses of General Reubel proved 
as acceptable to the father as they were to the dauo;hter, and 
he was made happy in the possession of one of the most lovely 
women that ever blessed a soldier's suit. — The historical 
reader is aware that when Jerome was afterwards made, by his 
Imperial brother, King of Westphalia, General Reubel was 
appointed commander in chief of the army of that kingdom • 
and that upon an alleged failure to cut off and make prisoner 
the Duke of Brunswick Oels, suspicions of his fidelity were 
entertained by Napoleon, who instantly ordered h's arrest upon 
the charge of having connived at the Duke's escape. It is 
believed, that Jerome gave private notice to his friend of this 
order, and thus enabled him to make his escape to EnHand, 
where he waited only until he was joined by his amiable wife 
and came again to the United States. He found a warm wel- 
come in the family of his father-in-law, where he resided for 
several years, and engaged in partnership with an accomplished 
21 



242 MEMOIR OF 

Professor of Chemistry, now deceased, in the manufacture of 
ivhite lead, and several other chemical products, then for the 
first time manufactured in Baltimore. He remained thus use- 
fully employed until the change in the political condition of his 
native country induced him to return to France. — General 
Reubel was an amiable and honorable man in all his relations to 
society — a well bred gendeman, a soldier of the first order, a 
man of science and general intelligence, and a faithful, estima- 
ble friend. His father was a Fcrmier General and possessed a 
splendid estate in Alsace. He never forgave Napoleon for the 
dishonorable suspicions which drove him from Europe, and in- 
deed could not bring himself to converse upon the subject with 
any degree of calmness. His feelings broke forth whenever 
Napoleon's name was mentioned in a torrent of invective, and 
on these occasions he would deny all military merit whatever to 
the Corsican hero, maintaining in the teeth of reason, common 
sense, and facts, that his great reputation had been the woik of 
his generals unaided by his own genius or talents. His father-in- 
law, on the contrary, was equally warm in his admiration of 
Napoleon, and the scenes that sometimes occurred between 
them — -though to a stranger they would have conveyed the 
idea of an irreconcilable quarrel — afforded infinite amuse- 
ment to the intimate friends of the family, who knew the real 
and affectionate respect that mutually subsisted for each other. 
A recurrence to the same theme was as regular a custom to the 
old gentleman after dinner as his glass of wine, unless there 
happened to be strangers present, and then he was willing to 
forego the pleasure of seeing his son-in-law in a passion, until 
the circle was narrowed to the few who could enjoy it as well 
as himself, without misinterpreting the language or motives of 
either. 

During the present year, the Commodore's luck — if we may 
so call it — in pecuniary matters, began to take a favorable turn. 
The proceedings of the Colonial courts, in the case of the ship 
Sampson and her cargo, having been reconsidered in London, 
under an article of the treaty with England, were declared to 
have been illegal, and a decision was made by which the value 
was restored to the American owners. The proportion coming 
to him, under this favorable decision, amounted to fortyjive 
thousand dollars ; but as this sum was to be paid by instalment, 
it became necessary, in order to make a final settlement and 
realize at once all the advantages of such a credit in England, 
to send an agent thither, and his third son, John, was selected 



COMMODORE BARNEY. 



243 



for this purpose. He succeeded in the negotiation, and in the 
course of the year returned to Baltimore with merchandize to 
the full amount. Upon his arrival, the Commodore immediately- 
established his three sons in business, giving to each one Jiftccn 
thousand dollars in goods and cash, and an additional credit of 
ten thousand dollars — thus making their joint capital equal to 
jiftyjive thousand dollars. Few young men ever commenced 
business with a more splendid capital, or under more favorable 
auspices ; but we regret to be compelled to add, diat their com- 
mercial career was a short and disastrous one. It does not 
belong to our subject to inquire into the causes which led to 
their failure, but it is our duty to repel the censure that was illib- 
erally cast upon the father for this act of paternal munificence. 
We believe that no imputation ever rested upon the integrity of 
the fraternal firm, but whatever may have been the source of 
their ill success, surely a father cannot be blamed for placing 
confidence in the characters and conduct of his children. He 
was actuated by the purest feelings of parental love — he had 
always exclaimed against the policy of those parents who kept 
their sons at a distance, and dependent, during their own lives, 
that they might leave a large inheritance at their deaths. He 
preferred, and he made no secret of his feelings, to divide his 
fortune while he lived, that he might be regarded as the friend 
of his children ; and whatever offence his conduct may have 
given to other fathers in whose dread presence sons are ac- 
customed to tremble and dissemble, it is a well known fact, that 
the equality upon which he placed his children, and the famil- 
iarity with which he treated them upon all occasions, so far from 
lessening their filial respect, knitted the family together in a 
bond of love and harmony that death only could sever. 

Soon after the establishment of his sons in business, he re- 
ceived a remittance from his friend and agent at Paris, the late 
Paul Bentalou, Esquire, of 300,000 francs — equal \o fifty six 
thousand, dollars — on account of his claim against the French 
Government; so that if the sons had been less unfortunate, he 

had now a prospect of spending the rest of his days in 
1805 ease and happiness. In the course of this year, Mr 

Jefferson offered him the superintendency of the navy- 
yard, then recently established at Washington ; but some unto- 
ward circumstances of the moment induced him to decline 
what would, at any other time, have been accepted as an hon- 
orable testimony of his good standing with the government of his 
country. 



244 



MEMOIR OF 



In the autumn of 1806, he was persuaded, by the earnest 
solicitations of many of his friends, to become a candi- 
1806 date for a seat in the national legislature. On such an 
occasion, it will not be supposed that those Vv'ho had 
been laboring, from the moment of his return to the United 
States, to injure him in reputation as much as they had done in 
fortune, would be idle. The opportunity, which an election in 
our ' happy land' affords, for the fabrication and propagation of 
every species of slander and vituperation, was too good to be 
lost by men who were on the watch for chances of perpetrating 
mischief in a mask — calumniators have always an opportunity 
during an electioneering campaign, as it is not inaptly called, 
of entrenching themselves behind ' the freedom of the press,' or 
hiding their responsibility in a mob, and thus Securely launching 
their poisoned arrows at the object of their enmity. — The old 
calumnies against him were revived, and circulated throughout 
the district with the activity and industry that belong to malice 
— he was again branded with the epithets of Frenchman, de- 
serter from his country, alien from his family. In the city of 
Baltimore, where he was best known, these electioneering slan- 
ders passed for what they were — the creations of vindictive 
malignity ; but in the county, they had all the effect which 
their cowardly propagators anticipated. It is proper to state, 
for the information of those who may not be acquainted with 
the manner in which the State of Maryland is divided into 
congressional districts, that the city and county of Baltimore 
form one district, which is entitled to two representatives in 
Congress. It was avowedly the design of the legislature, and 
has been the uniform practice of the district except in the case 
before us, to divide the honors of representation by giving one 
representative to the city, and the other to the county, each un- 
derstood, as a matter of course, to be respectively a resident 
among his immediate constituents. Commodore Barney, not- 
withstanding the powerful combination against him, obtained 
a majority of the city votes, and was, in all fairness, both as it 
regarded the city and himself, entitled to a seat in Congress : 
he was returned by the proper authorities as duly elected. ; but 
his opponent, Mr McCreery, a resident of the county, contested 
the election, upon the ground that the aggregate of votes in the 
whole district gave a majority in his favor. It is known, that 
each House of Congress is, respectively, the judge, without 
appeal, of the validity of the elections of its own members ; 
and the committee of elections, in the House of Representa- 



COMMODORE BARNEY. 245 

lives, having reported in favor of Mr McCreery's pretensions, ' 
this gentleman was declared by the House entitled to the con- 
tested seat. One of the Commodore's most inveterate persecu- 
tors was at the time a member of Congress, and to his influence 
and misrepresentations he always attributed a decision, so mani- 
festly at war with the laws of the State and the constant usages 
of the district from which he claimed. By this decision of the 
House of Representatives, the city of Baltimore lost her privi- 
lege, and the county had two representatives. But there was 
no remedy, and the Commodore contented himself under the 
wisdom of the old proverb, that ' what cannot be cured, must 
be endured !' 

Immediately after that infamous outrage by the British upon 
our national dignity, which in the diplomatic phraseology 
1807 of the day was called the ' affair of the Chesapeake,' Com- 
modore Barney, who it may be readily believed felt in no 
common degree the indignation which pervaded every class of 
our citizens, addressed the following letter to the President of 
the United States. 

• Baltimore, July 4th, 1807. 
' Thomas Jefferson, 

President of the United States. 

Sir, — At a moment like the present, I conceive it the duty 
of every citizen to step forward in support of his country — I 
therefore beg leave to make to you the tender of my personal 
services. I shall be happy to be employed by you, in any 
manner which may be thought conducive to the good of my 
country and the support of the administration, and am, 
Sir, yours with respect and esteem, 

Joshua Barney.' 

It is well known that Mr Jefferson, though accused by his 
enemies of the rankest infidelity, nevertheless, in his system 
of policy, evinced a higher respect for the precepts of Chris- 
tianity than many of its professed teachers and expounders 
— he was always ready, when struck upon one cheek to turn 
the other, rather than violate that principle of peace with all the 
world, upon the maintenance of which he believed the prosper- 
ity of his country to depend. He resorted to negotiation, not 
to arms, to seek redress for the ' affair of the Chesapeake;' 
and though the whole country was in a blaze of patriotic excite- 
ment at the audacious insult, he pursued the even tenor of liis 
21* 



246 



MEMOIR OF 



way, and not only managed to preserve the peace, but to satisfy 
his enraged fellow-citizens, that it was better lo put up with a 
Ihtle stain upon their honor than incur the hazard of ruining 
their interest. Many of those who then did not hesitate to im- 
pute pusillanimity to his motives, have since done justice to the 
wisdom of his measures. — The Commodore's offer of service 
was of course a ' dead letter.' 

In the winter of this year a very serious and most extraordi- 
nary accident occurred to Mrs Barney. She had been 
J 808 for many years severely afflicted with rheumatism, and 
during the latter part of the time had been entirely con- 
fined to her chamber, so emaciated and enfeebled by constant 
suffering, and acute pains shooting through her whole system, 
that she was unable to move even from one position to another 
without assistance. In this condition, it so happened, at a mo- 
ment when her attendants were not near her, that she attempted 
to walk without their support, but at the first step fell upon the 
carpet, and /rac^wre^Z the osfcmoris! That the force of such a 
fall, in her weak and attenuated state, should be sufficient to 
fracture one of the largest bones in the body, can only be ac- 
counted for upon the supposition that there was something in 
the nature of the malady under which she suffered, that had 
the efiect of disorganizing the texture of the bones, and destroy- 
ing their firmness and solidity. We are neither anatomists nor 
physiologists, and may therefore be excused if we have regard- 
ed as remarkable what in the experience of others may be a 
common occurrence. This accident necessarily added very 
much, for a time, to the sufferings of the patient, but the bone 
soon knit again and the limb was restored to the same strength 
with its fellow. The progress of the general disease, however, 
was unchecked, and the sufferings of Mrs Barney were without 
mitigation or intermission. She bore her afflictions with the 
quiet, uncomplaining, resignation of a Christian, and this reli- 
gious principle alone had prevented her for years from praying 
for that final summons to repose, which she now welcomed with 
evident joy and confidence. She died in July, in the fifty- 
fourth year of her age, having all her life supported, in (he va- 
rious relations of wife, mother, and neighbor, the most estima- 
ble character. 

Upon the coming in of the new Administration in 1809, a 

few days after the inauguration of Mr Madison, the 

1 ."^09 Commodore renewed the tender of his services, in a 

letter to the President, of which the following is a 

cony :— 



COMMODORE BARNEY. 247 

• Baltimore, March 12th, 1809. 

' Sir, — Immediately after the affair of the Chesapeake (4th 
July) I wrote to Mr Jefferson making him a tender of my per- 
sonal services. As our country seems yet to be menaced by 
foreign powers, I still hold it my duty to continue that offer, 
which I now do to you as President of the United States. 1 
do it the more cheerfully because I am not unknown to you 
personally. I shall always feel a sincere pleasure in contribut- 
ing my feeble abilities in any manner you please for the good of 
our country, and still more so when it is to support an Admin- 
istration whose principles perfectly coincide with my own. 
1 am, Sir, with due respect, 

Joshua Barney. 
'James Madison, 

President of the United States.' 

No stronger proof could be given of devoted patriotism and 
correct political principles, than this repeated offer of his ser- 
vices, at moments when malice itself would hardly venture to 
attribute it to selfish motives. He was easy and independent 
in his circumstances — the ambition to acquire a name, which 
might have actuated him in his younger days, had already been 
gratified to the full — his achievements had gained him a death- 
less renown — and he had attained a rank as high as any his 
country could give him in his profession. What then could 
have induced him thus anxiously to seek a renewal of the toils 
and dangers of service, but the purest love of country — a no- 
ble enthusiasm for the national honor — a disinterested regard 
for republican institutions. His country had been grossly in- 
sulted — her independence had been violated — her national 
character outraged and degraded ; and instead of atoning or 
even apologizing for the injury, the offending nation continued 
to treat our pacificatory propositions with scorn and derision. 
He judged of the feelings of the government by his own, and 
never for a moment doubted that resort would be had to war 
— in thai he knew that his experience might be useful, and he 
offered his services with the frankness and fearlessness of a ve- 
teran, without caring to what privations or perils their accep- 
tance might lead him. But, though Mr Madison was some- 
what more disposed than his predecessor had been to let loose 
the dogs of war, still the influence of Mr Jefferson's policy pre- 
vailed, and the country continued for some years longer to bear 
the kicks and cuffs of the British Lion. 



248 



MEMOIR OP 



Some time in the course of the present year, he determined 
to try his 'luck' once more in a commercial enterprise, and 
with this view purchased and fitted out one of those beautifully 
constructed and fast sailing schooners, for which the ships-yards 
of Baltimore have been so long celebrated. Having put on 
board of her a cargo, consisting of 50,000 pounds of cotton, 
he despatched her, under the care of his son John, to seek a mar- 
ket in France. A disaster, which surperstition might have re- 
garded as ominous, occurred before she had well lost sight of 
the coast. Though the schooner was new and apparently sound, 
a leak of alarming magnitude showed itself when she had been 
but a few days at sea, and it was found necessary to put back. 
The Delaware offering the nearest harbor, she ran up to Phil- 
adelphia, and after undergoing the necessary overhauling and 
repairs, she sailed a second time, to encounter a destiny little 
less fatal than the leak. Arrived within view of the entrance 
to her port, she was captured by a French cruiser, carried into 
the very market where she had expected to sell her cargo, and 
there confiscated, under one of those ' retaliatory decrees,' as 
Napoleon called them, by which he evinced his determination 
to outdo his great rival, if possible, in the infamous work of 
destroying neutral commerce. We could not help smiling at 
the note which the Commodore made of this affair in his jour- 
nal — ' Such was my ill luck ! ' This was the only remark which 
the loss of twenty thousand dollars drew from him. It was his 
last commercial speculation. 

In the early part of this year, he contracted a second mar- 
riage with a very charming woman, who still survives him. 

The respectability of the vote which he had obtained from 
his fellow-citizens at the election of 1806, induced him 
1810 to pern lit his name to be again put up as a candidate for 
a seat in the Twelfth Congress. His opponent at this 
time was Alexander McKim, Esquire, an old and respectable 
merchant of Baltimore, who, being what is somewhat arbitrarily 
styled the ' regularly nominated candidate,' received as a mat- 
ter of course the support of all that portion of the Democratic 
party, who, not choosing to take the trouble of thinking for 
themselves, are always ready to follow the dictation of a few 
self-created leaders. The Commodore, on the other hand, 
was known as the ' independent candidate,' and never was the 
term more truly applied ; but unfortunately, in electioneering 
tactics, the independence of a candidate, let his character and 
qualifications in other respects be what they may, is no match 



COMMODORE BARNEy. 



249 



for the discipline with which ' Caucuses' and ' Tammany So- 
cieties,' are wont to whip in their members to the/ regular track.' 
His popularity, however, again triumphed in his native city, in 
spite of the renewed slanders of his dastardly calumniators. 
The support which he received on this occasion was the more 
honorable, because it was known to come from the most re- 
spectable portion of the middle class of citizens, and from all 
those, indeed, who had sufficient independence themselves to 
admire that quality in another. As in the former contest, he 
received a majority of the city votes, but the ' regular candi- 
date' carried the day in the county. — He could never after- 
wards be persuaded to enter the arena of electioneering. 



C HAPTER X Vt J 



The Declaration of War finds him at his farm. — He enters once more into ser- 
vice. — Successful cruise of the ' Rossie' under his command. — Government 
gives him command of the Chesapeake flotilla. — Attempts of his personal 
enemies to excite the Government against him.^ He calls his calumniator 
to the field. — He sails with a part of his flotilla: — meets the enemy at the 
mouth of Patuxent: — skirmish there: — he enters the river and takes port 
in St Leonard's Creek : — Is pursued by the Enemy, whose numerous at- 
tacks are gallantly repulsed: — battle of the 10th of June: — gallant exploit 
of Major Barney. — The enemy moor their ships at the mouth of the Creek. 
Measures of the government to aid the flotilla. — Militia — Regulars — Ma- 
rines. — Battle of the 26th of June : — gallantry of two young Volunteers. — 
The enemy abandon the Creek and more off. — The flotilla ascend the Patux- 
ent to Bededict. — Curious history of Wadsworlh's Battery. — Measures plan- 
ned for defence of Washington and Baltimore. — flotilla moved up to Not- 
tingham. — The enemy advances up the river. — Barney orders the flotilla to 
be fired, and marches with his men to join General Winder. — ' Battalion Old 
Field.' — The President and his Cabinet. — Retreat of the Army to Washing- 
ton. — Barney stationed at the Anacostia Bridge : — prevails on the President 
to permit him to draw off" his force from a useless service, to join the Army 
at Bladensburg. — ' Battle of Bladensburg,' so called: — panic of the Amer- 
ican troops : — brave stand of Barney's command : — gallantry of his officers : 
— he is wounded, and, unable to quit the field, falls into the hands of the 
enemy. — Anecdotes of Ross and Cockburn — Captain Wainwright — Sai- 
lors and Soldiers — affecting scene between the Commodore and one of his 
wounded men. — He is carried to Bladensburg. — The enemy retire from 
Washington. — Number of wounded and Guard left behind. — Arrival of the 
Commodore's family : — he is carried to his farm. 

In May, 1812, having disposed of his dwelling-house in the 
city by sale. Commodore Barney retired with his wife 
1812 — his children being all married and settled — to a 
farm in Anne Arundel county, where it was his design 
to devote the remnant of his life to the peaceful pursuits of 
agriculture, and the enjoyment of domestic quiet ; but he was 
scarcely fixed in his new abode, when the information reached 
him that Congress had, at last, declared war against Great Bri- 
tain. To content himself with following the plough, watching 
the growth of his corn, or shearing his merinos, while the blast 
of war was blowing in his ears, would have been an effort be- 



MEMOIR OF COMMODORE BARNEY. 



25* 



yond his philosophy — altogether contrary to his nature : he did 
not even allow time for such an idea to suggest itself, but instant- 
ly packing up a few changes of linen and other little comforts 
he hurried off to the city of Baltimore, and in less than three 
weeks from the publication of the important manifesto by Con- 
gress, he was once more on the broad theatre of his glory, in 
command of an armed cruiser. 

So many volumes, pamphlets, and newspaper essays, have 
been given to the world within the last half century on the sub- 
ject of privateering, that we take it for granted every reader 
has already so far made up his mind as to the justifiableness or 
unjustifiableness of this mode of carrying on war, (hat any argu- 
ment from us would be, at least unavailing if not unwelcome. 
We shall therefore leave the question to be settled by moralists, 
philosophers, and philanthropists, as they may respectively 
think proper, and confine ourselves to a single remark : — 
while privateering is not only allowed, but encouraged, by the 
constituted authorities of a nation, it cannot consistently be stig- 
matized as dishonorable to the i7idividuah who engage in it. — 
Commodore Barney believed, and he was certainly not singu- 
lar in the opinion, that the only point in which Great Britain was 
vulnerable to the United States, was in her commerce ; and as 
war has been well defined to be a state in which two nations try 
which can do the other the most harm, it would seem to be as 
much the dictate of patriotism as the suggestion of sound policy 
in those who take up the cause of their country, to adopt that 
mode of serving it by which ihfty can most surely accomplish 
the desired object — namely, to bring the greatest degree of 
distress upon the enemy, with the least inconvenience to their 
own party. In every mode of warfare, it is the individuals who 
suffer — governments can feel none of the calamities of war ; 
and we really are unable to perceivevvhy a commission to sack 
towns, batter down villages, and plunder peaceable farm-houses 
and unoffending granaries, should be reckoned more honorable 
xXidiXx permission — from the same authority too — to capture 
unarmed vessels and destroy merchandize on the high seas : 
the property taken, or destroyed, is alike private in both in- 
stances, and private individuals only are in both cases the suf- 
ferers, the difference being, that, in the one case, the actors are 
paid whether they succeed in perpetrating the attempted deso- 
lation or not, and in the other, that remuneration depends upon 
success. But we have extended our remark further than we 
intended, and are unconsciously running into the argument 
we promised to avoid. 



252 



MEMOIR OP 



A number of individuals of Baltimore were concerned in the 
privateer called the Rossie — of which our veteran took the'com- 
mand. She sailed from Baltimore on the 12th of July. The Com- 
modore had so entirely devoted himself to the task of getting her 
ready for sea thus expeditiously, that he did not even take time to . 
look at the instructions for his government, which had been 
drawn up by a majority of the owners, until he had put it out 
of his power to object to the extraordinary course marked out 
for his cruise. It is very certain, that he never would have un- 
dertaken such a command, had he known that he was to be re- 
stricted in the exercise of his discretign, by the orders of per- 
sons entirely unacquainted with the usual tracks of the British 
trade, and therefore incompetent to direct the operations of a 
cruise against it ; but as he could not, consistently with his ideas 
of propriety, return to port, after the pledge implied by his go- 
ing to sea in silence, he resolved to proceed and do the best that 
the nature of his instructions would permit. — It would be te- 
dious and uninteresting to follow the log-book of daily occur- 
rences on this cruise — suffice it to say, that he continued nine- 
ty days at sea, during which time, he captured, sunk, and other- 
wise destroyed eighteen sail of the enemy's vessels, the ton- 
nage of which amounted to three thousand six hundred and 
ninety eight tons — valued at upwards of a million and a 
half of dollars — and took ^?w hundred and seventeen prison- 
er5, by which he was enabled to release that number of his im- 
prisoned countrymen. A few of his prizes, supposed to be the 
most valuable, were sent in to various parts of the United 
States, but the great expense attending their condemnation and 
sale, added to the enormous duties which had been rather un- 
wisely imposed by Congress upon prize goods, so reduced the 
profits that the gain of the owners of the privateer was in no 
proportion to the loss of the enemy. As it regarded the gen- 
eral objects of the war, however, the cruise of the Rossie must 
be considered as eminently successful, for very few armed ves- 
sels of any sort ever brought so much distress upon the enemy 
in so short a time. And, whatever may be said in the closet, 
in a time of peace, as to the 'principle of such a mode of war- 
fare, it cannot be denied that it was the only one that brought 
Great Brhain to feel the inconveniences of the war ; and Con- 
gress soon discovered the necessity of encouraging this class of 
adventurers by a change in the Tariff of duties, which allowed 
them a greater profit upon prize goods. — The Rossie had two 
smart actions during the cruise — the first, on the 9th of Au- 



COMMODORE BARNET. 253 

gust, with the letter of marque ship Jeannie, mountinc; twelve 
guns, nines and sixes — (the Rossie had ten short cannona- 
des, twelve pounders;) the second, on the 16th of September, 
with his B. Majesty's packet ship. Princess Amelia, carrying 
eight nine pounders, and thirty men. This ship made a most 
obstinate and gallant defence, and did not surrender until her 
captain had been killed : the action lasted nearly an hour with- 
in pistol-shot distance. Besides the captain, the sailing-mas- 
ter and one man of the packet were killed, and seven wounded. 
Of the Rossie, the first lieutenant* and six men were wound- 
ed, but none killed. The action occurred by moonlight, 
which gave great advantage to the packet, as she was construct- 
ed with fine quarters, under cover of which her men could not 
be distinguished by the musketry of the Rossie, while those of 
the latter, having no bulvmarks whatever to protect them, were 
exposed to every shot. 

After his return to Baltimore, numerous offers were made to 
induce him to engage in another cruise, but as Congress had 
not yet seen the error of their policy in relation to the duties, 
and there was really no adequate motive to encounter the priva- 
tions and discomforts of the small vessels then employed as 
privateers, he declined going out a second time, and occupied 
hiliiself in settling accounts with the different owners and crew 
of the Rossie. 

In the summer of 1813, Ijeing called to Newport, in Rhode 
Island, on business relating to the sale of one his prizes, 
1813 which had been sent into that port, he received, while 
there, a letter from the Navy Department, offering him 
the command of the Flotilla, to be fitted out at Baltimore for 
the defence of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributary waters. 
This induced him to hurry home as speedily as possible, and 
proceed to Washington, that he might learn more at large the 
nature of the service expected from him. He found that it 
was to be a separate command, unconnected with the navy, and 
subjecting him only to the direct orders of the government — 
such a command as he might honorably accept without giving 
up his independence. But the news of his appointment had 
by some means or other become known in Baltimore, even 
before he had himself received the offer, and had excited 
against him his old and implacable enemies of sixteen years' 
standing, who immediately set themselves at work to instil their 
own prejudices into the government. For this purpose they 

* Mr Long, who soon afterwards died of his wounds, very sincerely la- 
mented. 

32 



254 MEMOIR OF 

made use of an individual in Baltimore, a merchant of high 
standing, upon whom they prevailed to address a letter to the 
Secretary of the Navy, in which the character of the Commo- 
dore was traduced in the hasest manner. When he reached 
Washington, Mr Jones, the Secretary of the Navy, conceived 
it to be his duty as a man of honor, to place this letter in his 
hands, or at least to make him acquainted with its purport, and 
its ivriter. We will not undertake to dispute the Secretary's 
notions of the obligations of ' honor,' but surely if he had re- 
flected upon the possible consequences to which his disclosure 
of the name of his correspondent might lead, he would have 
hesitated before he decided upon such a step. To say that 
Commodore Barney was surprised, when he learned the name 
of his accuser, would be perhaps to acknowledge that he 
had gained but little wisdom by former experience; but- it 
was certainly one of the last sources from which he would 
have expected an interference of such a nature. The writer 
had been indebted to him for many acts of kindness and 
friendship — he had JDeen in France, sick, and a stranger ; 
and there the Commodore had nursed him, attended to 
him with the sedulity and affection of a brother, and had 
lent him a large sum of money : but all this was forgotten ; he 
suffered himself to become the tool of others, and under the in- 
fluence of the demon of ingratitude wrote the letter we have 
mentioned to the Secretary. It was impossible, under the cir- 
cumstances, for the Commodore to avoid calling upon his ac- 
cuser for explanation, and the result was a meeting between 
them, at which the latter received a ball in his breast; fortunately 
the wound was not mortal, and the gentlemen survived it long 
enough to repent, we sincerely hope, of the unworthy part he 
had been duped to play. — We would not, on any account, be 
thought to approve the practice of duelling from our notice of 
this aflair — we believe that in ninetynine of every hundred 
cases that occur, both parties are equally culpable, and find 
upon investigation that they had really no cause of quarrel ; 
but it sometimes happens, that there is no other way of satisfy- 
ing one's own sense of duty, or retaining the good opinion of 
the world. Jfall men ivere Christians, then we grant, the cus- 
tom would be ' more honored in the breach than the observ- 
ance ;' but it will be vain to appeal to the christian morality, 
while more than nine tenths of every community regard the 
title as a mere nominal distinction bestowed in virtue of the 
ceremony of baptism ; — while the ' code of honor,' is every- 
where looked upon as more binding than the ' laws of the land,' 



COMMODORE BARNEY. 



255 



the ministers of which are visible and palpable to our senses, 
how can we expect that it will be made to give way to the 
!aws of God ? No ! there is nothing short of the universal preva- 
lance of the christian spirit, that can abrogate the 'code of honor,' 
and as there is no reason to believe that that spirit can be uni- 
versal, until the appointed time when Christ shall come 
again to judge the world, so there is no hope that any human 
laws will ever restrain the custom of setUing quarrels by mo- 
nomachy. 

The task of preparing,, fitting out, and manning his gunboats 
and Ijarges occupied Commodore Barney all the remaining 
part of the summer and open weather of the autumn after his 
appointment; and it was not until April, 1814, that he found 
himself ready to commence operations. At this period he had 
under his command tweniysix gunboats and barges, and about 
nine hundred men. well officered by the principal ship-masters 
and mates of the port of Baltimore. He thought it neces- 
sary, before he would venture any important expedition, to try 
the efficiency of this force by manoeuvring both vessels and 
men, that he might ascertain exactly the degree of reliance to 
be placed upon the competency of both for the service requir- 
ed- With this view he proceeded with a portion of them some 
distance down the Bay, where with his habit of close and keen 
observation, he soon discovered that several important altera- 
tions would be necessary in the equipment of some of the 
boats, and returned to Baltimore for the purpose of having 
these alterations effected. In the latter end of May he moved 
with sixteen of his vessels down the Chesapeake, with the in- 
tention of attacking Tangier Island, of which the enemy had 
taken possession, and upon which they had established a 
negro encampment. On the 1st of June, a litde below the 
mouth of Patuxent, he discovered two of the enemy's schoon- 
ers and several barges, to which he gave chase : but at the 
moment when he flattered himself they were within his grasp, 
the Dragon, seventyfour gun ship, came up to their rescue, and 
he was compelled in his turn to retreat. He was closely pur- 
sued by the whole force of the enemy, and before he reached 
the Patuxent, one of the schooners, mounting eighteen guns, 
and several of the barges, had approached within gunshot of 
his flotilla — the Dragon being still at a distance, he made the 
signal for action, and a fire was opened from all the flotilla, 
which in a few minutes compelled the enemy to seek protec- 
tion under the battery of the seventyfour ; having thus driven 
them from his heels, he entered the river in safety, and the 



256 



MEMOIR OF 



Dragon and her attendants took post at its mouth. On theJ7jth,the 
blockading squadron was reinforced by the arrival of a frigate 
and sloop of war, and he deemed it prudent to move the flotilla 
up the river as far as St Leonard's creek. The wisdom of 
this measure was very soon apparent, for on the following day, 
the 8tl), the enemy's frigate, brig, and schooners entered the river, 
and advanced to the mouth of the creek, but being unable to 
proceed further, they manned a number of barges and sent 
tliem to the attack of the flotilla. The barges, however, being 
armed with rockets, which they were able to throw to a much 
greater distance than the shot of the flotilla would reach, show- 
ed no disposition to come to closer quarters, and the Commo- 
dore put his force in motion that he might approach the enemy 
within the power of his guns : but they retired as he advanced, 
until they gained the cover of their ships. A second attempt 
with a still larger force, was made in the afternoon of the same 
day, and with the like result — the enemy's barges were again 
driven to the protection of their ships. On the 9th they re- 
newed the attack, and were a third time driven to seek refuge 
under their larger batteries ; but all these various demonstra- 
tions were but experiments of the enemy, to exercise their 
men, and prepare them for the ' grand attack,' which was made 
on the 10th with a force sufficient, as they no doubt believed, 
to insure them an easy victory. Twentyone barges, one rocket 
boat, and two schooners, each mounting two thirtytwo pound- 
ers, with eight hundred men, entered the creek with colors fly- 
ing, and music sounding its animating strains, and moved on 
with the proud confidence of superiority. Barney's force con- 
sisted of thirteen barges, and Jive hundred men — his sloop and 
two gun vessels being left at anchor above him, as unmanage- 
able in the shoal water — but he did not hesitate a moment to 
accept the challenge offered, and gave the signal to meet the 
enemy, as soon as they had entered the creek. They com- 
menced the attack with their schooners and rockets, and in a 
kw minutes every boat was engaged ; the commodore in his 
barge with twenty men, and his sou, Major William B. Barney 
— who, in a small boat, acted as his aid on the occasion — were 
seen rowing about everywhere in the most exposed situations, 
giving the necessary orders to the flotilla ; the action was kept 
up for some time with equal vigor and gallantry, but at length 
the enemy, struck with sudden confusion, began to give way, and 
turning their prows, exerted all their force to regain the covering 
ships. They were pursued to the mouth of the creek by the 
flotilla with all the eagerness of assured victory ; but here lay 



COMMODORE BARNEV. 



257 



the schooner of eighteen guns, beyond which it was impossible 
to pass without first silencing her battery, and for this purpose 
the wliole fire of the flotilla was directed at her — she inade an 
attempt to get out of the creek, and succeeded so far as to gain 
the protection of the frigate and sloop of war, but so cut to 
pieces, that, to prevent her sinking, she was run aground and 
abandoned. The two larger vessels now opened a tremendous 
fire upon our gallant little flotilla, during which they threw not 
less than seven hundred shot, but without doing much injury : 
the flying barges of the enemy having thus succeeded in recov- 
ering their safe position under the heavy batteries of the ships, 
the flotilla was drawn ofi', and returned to its former station 
up the creek. 

That the enemy suffered severely in this engagement, was 
too manifest to be denied, even if their own subsequent con- 
duct had not clearly proved the fact. Several of their boats 
were entirely cut to pieces, and both schooners were so damag- 
ed as to render them unserviceable during the remainder of the 
blockade — they had a number of men killed, and we have 
learned from an eye witness of the fact, that the hospital rooms 
of the flag ship, were long afterwards crowded with the vfound- 
ed in this engagement. On the part of the flotilla, not a man 
was lost — one of the barges was sunk by a shot from the ene- 
my, but she was taken up again on the very day of the action, 
and two days afterwards was as ready as ever for service. 

On the first day of these repeated attacks, an incident oc- 
curred which is well worthy of being recorded. — One of the 
enemy's rockets fell on board one of our barges^ and, pfter 
passing through one of the men, set the barge on fire — a bar- 
rel of powder, and another of musket cartridges, caught fire 
and exploded, by which several of the men were blown into the 
water, and one man very severely burned — his face, hands, 
and every uncovered part of his body, being perfectly crisped. 
The magazines were both on fire, and the commander of the 
boat, with his officers and crew, believing that she must inevi- 
tably blow up, abandoned her, and sought safety among the 
other barges. At this moment. Major Barney, who command- 
ed the cutter ' Scorpion,' and whose activity and intrepidity 
as aid to the Commodore in the last day's action we have al- 
ready noticed, hailed his father and asked his permission to 
take charge of the burning boat — the Commodore had already 
ordered an officer upon that duty, but as his son volunteered io 
perform it, he recalled his order and gave him the permission 
solicited. Major Barney immediately put himself on board, 
22* 



258 MEMOIR OF 

and by dint of active labor in bailing water into the boat 
and rocking her constantly from side to side, he very soon suc- 
ceeded in putting out the fire and saving the boat, to the very 
great delight, as well as astonishment of the Commodore, who 
acknowledged afterwards that he considered the duty as a sort 
of ^forlorn hope.^"^ 

After the severe chastisement inflicted upon them for their 
last attempt, the enemy made no further effort to disturb the 
tranquillity of the flotilla, but contented themselves with convert- 
ing the siege into a blockade, by mooring in the mouth of the 
creek, where they were soon reinforced by another frigate. 
Having come to this resolution, they turned their attention to the 
plunder of the surrounding country, in which frequent expe- 
rience had given them an unenviable expertness. Tobacco, 
slaves, farm stock of all kinds, and household furniture, became 
the objects of their daily enterprises, and possession of them in 
large quantities was the reward of their honorable achievements. 
What they could not conveniently carry away, they destroyed 
by burning. Unarmed, unoffending citizens were taken from 
tlieir very beds — sometimes with beds and all — and carried on 
board their ships, from which many of them were not released 
until the close of the war. 

Tn this state of things, the Secretary of the Navy despatched 
a hundred marines, under the command of Captain Samuel 
Miller, with three pieces of cannon, to the assistance of Com- 
modore Barney. The Secretary of War also sent Colonel 
Wadsworth, with two pieces of heavy artillery, and ordered 
about six hundred of the regular troops to be marched to St 
Leonard's Creek for the same purpose. The militia of Cal- 
vert County had been already called out, but like most other 
ti'oops of that class, they were to be seen everywhere but just 
where they were wanted — whenever the enemy appeared, they 
disappeared ; and their commander was never able to bring 
tliem into action. There was one officer among them, Major 

* Posterity will hardly credit the fact, that the individual who tlius dis- 
tino-uished himself, was the same Major William B. Barney, who was af- 
terwards (in 1829) rudely ejected from an honorable otfice, which had been 
bestowed upon him by his country as a reward for this and many other act* 
of gallantry during the war — in which office he had succeeded his gallant 
father, and of which his administration, had been without reproach — by a 
Military President, to make way for a politicdl parasite and minion, under 
the abused name of ' Reform ! ' — It is a remarkable trait in the character of 
this Military President, that, after he became himself the minion of popu- 
lar fanaticism, he could never bear to hear of any act of heroism in anoth- 
er — he was restlessly jealous, even of the humblest individual who had 
e;ained a reputation for gallantry in battle : Did this arise from a conscious 
ness that his own fame was without a solid basis ! 



COMMODORE BARNEY, 259 

Johns, who deserved to be better supported — he appeared to 
be active and gallant, and labored hard to inspirit his men, but 
without success : they rendered no assistance whatever to the 
flotilla, nor did they even attempt to defend their own houses 
and plantations from pillage and conflagration. The conduct of 
the 38th regiment, under Colonel Carberry, was unfortunately 
but little more worthy of praise than that of the militia : though 
several of its officers were well disposed to meet the enemy 
upon any terms, the men had neither discipline nor subordina- 
tion, and receiving no check from their commanding officer in 
their irregularities, gave themselves up to disgraceful inaction, 
so that the presence of this regiment added nothing to the 
effective force of the Commodore. 

Upon the arrival of Colonel Wadsworth, on the 24th of June, 
a consuhation was held between him and the Commodore, to 
which Captain Miller of the Marines was invited ; it was deci- 
ded by these officers, that a battery and furnace should be erect- 
ed on the commanding height near the mouth of the Creek, 
upon which the Colonel's two eighteen pounders should be pla- 
ced, and that, on the 26th before daylight, a simultaneous attack 
should be made by the flotilla and battery upon the blockading 
ships. The Commodore placed one of his best officers, Mr 
Groghegan, (a sailing master) and twenty picked men, under 
the command of Colonel Wadsworth, for the purpose of work- 
ing his two guns. Everything was now bustle and active pre- 
paration in the flotilla ; the men were in high spirits, all looking 
impatiently to the 26th as a day of victory and triumph. On 
the evening of the 25th after dark, the Commodore moved with 
his flotilla down the creek, that he might be near the enemy at 
the appointed hour next morning. He divided his boats into 
three divisions, each under its separate chief, and a distinctive 
broad flag — his own was the red, that of his first officer, Mr 
Suiter, x\iQ white — the third, i/we, under his second officer, 
Mr Frazier : both these officers were old and experienced ship 
masters, as indeed were many others in the flotilla. In this or- 
der they moved to the scene of action : and at early dawn of 
the 26th they were gratified and cheered by the sound of the 
guns from the opening battery on the height — the barges now 
seemed to fly under the rapid strokes of the oar, and in a few 
minutes reached the mouth of the creek, where they assumed 
the line of battle, and opened their fire upon the moored ships. 
Their position was eminently critical and hazardous, but this in 
the view of the gallant souls on board only rendered it the more 
honorable. They were within four hundred yards of the ene- 



260 



MEMOIR OF 



my ; and the mouth of the Creek was so narrow as to admit 
no more than eight barges abreast, to use their guns — the men 
were wholly unprotected by any species of bulwark, and the 
grape and cannister shot of the enemy, which was poured upon 
them in ceaseless showers, kept the water around them in a con- 
tinual foam. It was a scene to appal the inexperienced and 
the faint hearted ; but there were few of these among the dar- 
ing spirits of the flotilla. In this situation, the firing was kept 
up on all sides for nearly an hour ; the Commodore was then 
surprised and mortified to observe that not a single shot from 
the battery fell with assisting effect, and that the whole fire of 
the enemy was directed against his boats : shortly afterwards 
the battery, from which so much had been expected, became 
silent altogether, and the barges were hauled off as a matter of 
consequent necessity, for it would have been an act of mad- 
ness in such a force, unassisted, to contend against two frigates, 
a brig, two schooners, and a number of barges, in themselves 
equal to the force that could be brought into action from the 
flotilla. Three of our barges, under the respective commands 
of sailing masters, Worthington, Kiddall, and Sellars, suffered 
very much in the action, and ten of their men were killed and 
wounded.' 

A kw minutes after.the flotilla had retired, it was perceived 
that the enemy's frigates were in motion, and in a little time the 
whole blockading squadron got under way and stood down the 
river. — One of the frigates, it was observed, had four pumps 
constantly at work ! This movement on the part of the enemy 
spoke pretty plainly their opinion of ' Barney's Flotilla : ' it 
was very evident that they had seen quite as much of him as ^ 
they desired to see. The way being thus unexpectedly opened | 
to him, the Commodore immediately left the Creek, and moved 
up the Patuxent River. 

A day or two before this expulsion of the enemy, two young 
gendemen, from Washington City, presented themselves before 
the Commodore, and volunteered their services in any capacity 
he might please to employ them. Upon hearing their names, 
and finding that they had left home without the consent or 
knowledge of their friends, prompted by an irrepressible and 
chivalric spirit of youthful patriotism, he kept them on board 
of his own boat under his immediate eye ; he watched them 
closely throughout the action that succeeded, and was gratified 
to observe, that they behaved with a coolness and intrepidity, 
which would have done honor to much older soldiers. These 
young gentlemen, were Mr T.^Blake, and Mr T. P. Andrews 

A 



COMMODORE BARNEY. 261 

— the former lately a member of Congress from Indiana, and 
the latter now a Paymaster in the United States Army. * 

On the night after the engagement the flotilla was anchored 
opposite the town of Benedict, on the Patiixent. As they 
were movingup the River, Captain Miller of the Marines went 
on board the Commodore's boat, and'gave him the first informa- 
tion he had received from the ineffective battery — except to 
some of his own men, the guns there had done no mischief, 
and there was evidently bad management somewhere ; but he 
had shortly afterwards a full report from Mr Groghegan, who 
commanded the guns — from this he ascertained to his own 
satisfaction, that the fault was not in his officer or men. It 
appears, that Mr Groghegan, on the evening of the 25th waited 
upon Colonel Wadsworth, to receive instructions as to the 
place where the two guns were to be stationed ; the Colonel 
replied to his inquiry in these words : ' As you are to command 
and fight them, place them where you please ! ' The officer 
immediately set to work with his men, and began to construct 
his battery, exactly upon the spot where it unquestionably ought 
to have been, the summit of the hill which completely com- 
manded the ships — he continued at work all night and had 
nearly finished his platform, when about one o'clock in the 
morning Colonel Wadsworth, came upon the ground, and after 
examining the work, declared ' that, his guns should not be put 
there — that they would be too much exposed to the enemy ! ' — 
having given this as his only argument, he ordered a platform to 
be made in the rear of the summit ; as there could be no dis- 
puting his orders, he was obeyed of course, and the conse- 
. quence was, that the guns, being placed on the declivity, must 
either be fired directly into the hill, or be elevated, after the 
the manner of bombs, so high in the air as to preclude the pos- 
sibility of all aim, and render them utterly useless. At the very 
first fire, the guns recoiled half way down the hill, and in this 
situation they continued to be fired in the air, at random, until 
the Colonel gave orders to have them spiked, and abandoned ! 
There was certainly a mystery in the conduct of this officer, 
on that occasion, which has never been solved : he was uni- 
versally reputed to be not only scientific but brave. The guns 
were served with hot shot, and in loading one of them rather too 
carelessly she was accidentally discharged before the servers 
had got out of the way, and thus two of the men were severely 
wounded. — This is the substance of the official report made 

* See Appendix, No. VII. 



262 MEMOIR OF 

to the Commodore by his officer, and we have no doubt of its 
correctness. 

He speaks of the officers of his flotilla, particularly of his 
first and second lieutenants already named, in the highest terms 
of praise, and adds, that he ' had but little reason to complain 
of any officer whatever ; never did men behave better, or with 
more subordination, bravery, or coolness.' Praise from an 
officer so universally distinguished for his own intrepidity in 
battle, is worth having. 

On the 1st of July, he received a letter from the Secretary 
of the Navy, requesting his presence at the seat of government, 
which he immediately obeyed. On his arrival there, the sub- 
jects of consultation, on which his views were required, were 
the situation of the flotilla, the probable intentions of the enemy, 
and the measures necessary to be taken by the government for 
the protection of Washington and Baltimore. The result of 
their deliberations was, that he should keep his thirteen barges 
and sloop Scorpion, with five hundred men, in the Patuxent, 
and that his first lieutenant, Mr Rutter, should be despatched to 
Baltimore to take command of the fourteen barges and five 
hundred men remaining there ; so that, in the event of an 
attack on either city, they could march respectively to the 
assistance of each other. He returned to his command, as 
soon as this decision was made known to him, having been 
absent only two days, and immediately despatched Mr Rutter 
to Baltimore. After this, to place himself more conveniently 
within reach of either city in the event of invasion, he moved 
his flotilla up to Nottingham, a small village on the Patuxent, 
about forty miles from Washington. Here he found the in- 
habitants in a state of great alarm, and everything in confusion 
— the militia, to use his own expressive terms, ' were here and 
there, but never where the enemy ivas.^ General Winder, 
who commanded the army destined for the defence of the two 
important cities, came to Nottingham soon afterwards and held 
a short consultation with the veteran, upon some unimportant 
points, but disclosed nothing of his own plans or views. Thus 
things remained, until about the 16th of August, when two of 
the officers whom he had stationed at the mouth of the river, 
for the purpose of watching the motions of the enemy, arrived 
with information that a fleet had entered the Patuxent, and were 
standing up the river. He despatched an express, without a 
moment's delay, to the Secretary of the Navy, to communicate 
this intelligence, and in return received orders to retire with his 
flotilla as high up the river as he could get, and, if the enemy 



COMMODORE BARNEV. 263 

landed, to set fire to the boats, and join General Winder with 
his men. 

We confess, that we approach the portion of our subject 
which is now coming, with feelings very unlike those of pride 
of country. The very name of Bladensburg creates a sort 
of revulsion, which draws all the humors of the body into the 
region of the spleen, and sets all the blue devils that ever tor- 
mented a diseased imagination at work to destroy our com- 
placency. We wish its name could be changed by Act of Con- 
gress ! — To be serious, as we have no desire to blot the mem- 
ory of any dead, or hurt the feelings of any living, we premise 
to the reader that it is not our intention to give a history of that 
' affair,' but to confine ourselves as strictly as possible to the part 
borne in it by the subject of this biography, and to depart as 
litde as may be from the notes of it as made by his own hand. 

On the 2Jst of August, information reached him, that the 
enemy had landed an army at Benedict, and were then in full 
march on the road to Washington. He immediately landed 
with four hundred of his men, leaving the flotilla, under the 
command of his second lieutenant, Mr Frazier, a little above 
Pig Point, with positive orders, should the enemy appear near 
him in force, to set fire to every boat and see them in full con- 
flagration, and then join him with the rest of the men.* He 
marched to Upper Marlborough that evening ; on the following 
morning, hearing from General Winder that he was with his 
army at the Woodyard, he continued his march to that place, 
which he reached about midday. Here he was gratified to 
find Captain Miller of the Marines, with eighty men and five 
pieces of artillery, who had been directed by the Secretary of 
the Navy to report to him and place himself under his orders. 
He had been pleased with the conduct of Captain Miller on a 
former occasion, and finding him to be as intelligent and active 
as he was brave and honorable, he received him and his Marines 
as a most acceptable reinforcement of his command. But he 
had scarcely time to congratulate himself upon this mark of 
confidence on the part of the Secretary of the Navy, when he 
was astonished to perceive the whole army in motion to retreat. 
He puzzled himself in vain to discover the cause of this pre- 
cipitate, and, as he thought, injudicious, movement, until at length 
the General rode up and informed him that the enemy had 
turned off to the right, on the road to Upper Marlborough, and 
that his purpose in retiring was to keep a position between them 

* It was blown up the next day. See Appendix, No. IX. 



364 , MEMOIR OP 

and the city of Washington. He of course put his division 
also upon the march, and they continued to retreat before the 
enemy until they reached a place called the ' Battalion Old 
Field,' where, upon hearing that the enemy were at Upper 
Marlborough, they encamped for the night. The President 
and Heads of Departments, in their anxiety for the safety of 
the City, had all posted from Washington to meet the army, 
the moment they ascertained that the enemy were on the march : 
tlie first, with the Secretary of War, passed this night about 
half a mile in the rear of the army — the Secretary of the Navy 
joined the Commodore and slept in his tent. On the following 
morning, the 23d, he accompanied the Secretary to pay his re- 
spects to the President, who, in the course of the forenoon 
reviewed the troops, and exhorted the officers to be firm and 
faithful in their duty. The army remained the whole of this 
day at ' Battalion Old Field,' with the exception of a light de- 
tachment under Major Peter, which the General took out in the 
course of the day, and with which he had some skirmishing with 
tlie enemy. About sunset, they resumed the line of march, 
and proceeded to Washington by the way of the Eastern Branch 
Bridge, which they crossed about ten o'clock that night, and 
the Commodore and his men took up their quarters at the 
Marine Barracks. 

On the morning of the 24th the commanding general — if, 
indeed, he could be properly so called, while the President and 
Secretary of War were both on the field, planning, counselling 
and ordering — had an interview with the Commodore, in which 
he expressed his belief, that the enemy would attempt to reach 
the city by the same road the army had entered it the night be- 
fore, and concluded by requesting that he would take upon him 
the defence of the bridge, over the Eastern Branch, or Anacos- 
tia. The Commodore, accordingly, lost no time in posting his 
men, and placing his cannon in battery so as to command the 
passage. About eleven o'clock, a vidette came in and gave him 
the information that the enemy had suddenly wheeled to the 
right, and were then in quick march on the road to Bladens- 
burg ; the moment afterwards, the President rode up with his 
attendant cabinet, and the Commodore having communicated 
this information to him solicited permission to abandon the 
bridge, and march with his forces to join the army, which had 
been previously posted between Bladensburg and the city — 
strengthening his request by the declaration, that a midshipman 
with half a dozen men would be able to prevent the enemy 
from crossing the bridge, even if they should return and at- 



COMMODORE BARNEY". 



265 



tempt the passage, by blowing up a few of the timbers. The 
President readily assented, and in a few minutes he was on the 
march to Bladensburg with his guns and men. Anxious to 
reconnoitre, and obtain all the information he could, as to the 
movements of the enemy and the position of our army, he 
hurried on in advance of his men, until he gained sight of the 
American troops, which he found drawn up in detached parties, 
and covering the road for a mile west of the village. The firing 
commenced in the village a few moments after he rode up. 
He instantly despatched an officer to expedite the march of his 
men, who soon made their appearance in a trot ; the weather 
was excessively hot, and they were necessarily much fatigued 
and exhausted, but they were still full of courage and eager, to 
see the enemy. He had just time to form his men, and lake 
the limbers from his guns, before he perceived our army in full 
retreat, and the enemy calmly advancing, he took it for granted, 
for some time, that it was their design to halt, and form again 
near the position he had taken — but he was cruelly disappointed ; 
they passed him with rapid step, in evident confusion and disor- 
der. He maintained his ground nevertheless, and waiting until 
the enemy had advanced near enough to be within the certain 
range of his guns, he alighted from his horse, pointed the guns 
himself to the proper level, and then remounted : at this mo- 
ment the enemy began to throw their rockets, and his battery 
opened upon them in full play, with round and grape-shot. 
The first fire checked the enemy's advance, and proved very 
destructive to them ; it completely cleared the road. Their 
second attempt to advance was met with like effect — the grape 
and cannister shot literally mowed down all that were to be 
seen on the road. Finding that it would be no easy achieve- 
ment either to storm this little battery, or to pass within its 
range, without greater loss than they were willing to risk, the 
enemy now left the road and turned off through a field on their 
left. The Commodore immediately ordered the marines, under 
Captain Miller, and the seamen who were acting as [nfantry, 
under the Flotilla officers, to advance to the field and meet 
them, while at the same time his guns continued to play upon 
their flank with the destructive grape and cannister. His men 
ran to the charge with eager bravery, and not only checked the 
advance of the enemy through the field, but, jumping a fence 
which crossed it, drove them back into the woods under cover 
of a deep ravine, nearly two hundred yards in the rear — 
here they left them and returned to the guns. Colonel Thorn- 
ton, Colonel Woods, and several other officers of the enemy, 
fell wounded in this vigorous charge — the first, afterwards told 
23 



266 



MEMOIR OF 



the Commodore, that his men had passed very near him in their 
advance, and that he expected every instant to he discovered 
as he lay prostrate, and made prisoner ; but diey missed him ; 
and on their return from the charge, they took another route, 
leaving him some distance to their right. 

While the Commodore, with his brave flotilla-men and ma- 
rines, was thus holding the enemy in check, the rest of the 
American troops had totally disappeared ; not a man of them 
was to be seen on the ground. The firing was still kept up for 
some time longer ; the British sharp-shooters, in straggling par- 
ties, had gained posts near him, and were galling him excessive- 
ly with their fire — his horse was killed under him, pierced by 
two balls ; and several of his best officers were killed and 
w'ounded ; Mr Warner, an excellent and brave officer, was kill- 
ed by his side, while at his gun ; Mr William Martin, who com- 
manded one of the guns, yvas severely wounded — he was so 
good an officer that the loss of his services was deeply felt ; 
Mr J. Martin, also, a fine young man, fell severely wounded. 
In the charge upon the enemy on the field. Captain Miller and 
Captain Sevier of the marines, had both been wounded, and a 
number of the men killed and wounded : — the Commodore him- 
self had been wounded some time before, by a musket ball in 
the thigh, and was beginning to feel excessively weak and faint 
from the loss of blood, for he had kept his wound a secret, and 
had taken no steps to staunch the flow of blood : — to add to 
his misfortunes and regrets, the wagon, containing the cartridges 
both for his cannon and muskets, had been carried off, in the 
general confusion and flight of the army. — The enemy were 
now beginning to flank out upon his right, under cover of a 
thick wood, and had nearly surrounded him — his men, who 
had been marching continually for three days, without regular rest 
or supply of provisions, were beginning to be exhausted and 
wearied, and he was himself scarcely able to hold up his head ; 
under these circumstances, he felt it to be his duty to order a 
retreat* — which was effected in perfect order by his men, and 
those of the officers who were able to march j he, with the 
help of three of his officers, Dukehart, Hamilton and Huffing- 
ton, was only able to retire a few yards, when he felt himseli' 
compelled to lie down — ordering his officers with the exception 
of one, (Mr Huffington) to leave him, and make good their re- 
treat. f We feel it to be a duty — which we perform, certain- 

*See Appendix, No X. 

tThe Commodore at first merely requested the officers to leaue him and 
provide for their own safety ; but they generously refused to abandon him , 
and he was obliged for their own sakes to exert his authority as commander 
and order them to quit tue field. 



COMMODORE BARNEY. 



267 



ly, with no pleasure — to record, that while he thus lay, 
exhausted and unable to walk, one of his own Aids rode by 
on a horse which he had himself furnished him, without pay- 
ing the slightest attention to his wounded commander, though, 
repeatedly called upon to stop and leave his horse ! For the honor 
of human nature, we must believe, that this Aid was both blind 
and deaf: if he had left his horse, the Commodore would have 
escaped being made prisoner, and a sound man on foot would 
have been in no danger of being overtaken. 

Shortly after this inhuman and disgraceful abandonment, the 
enemy came up — Captain Wainwright, of the British Navy, 
who commanded Admiral Cockburn's flag ship, was the first to 
approach him : he was a very young looking man, and being 
dressed in a short, round jacket, the Commodore mistook him 
for a Midshipman ; but they were soon mutually announced to 
each other, and the moment Captain W. learned the name of 
his prisoner, he went in search of the Admiral, who soon after- 
wards made his appearance, accompanied by the commanding 
general, Ross. They both accosted the prisoner in the most 
polite and respectful terms, offering immediate assistance, and 
the attendance of their surgeon. After a little. General Ross, 
who no doubt /e/^ as he spoke, said. ' I am really very glad 
to see you, Commodore !' to which the Commodore replied, 
with equal sincerity of feeling : ' I am sorry I cannot return 
you the compliment. General !' — Ross smiled, and turning 
to the Admiral, remarked, ' I told you it was the Flotilla 
men ! ' — ' Yes ! you were right, though I could not believe 
you — they have given us the only fighting we have had.' Af- 
ter some further conversation between these two Commanders 
in a lower tone. General Ross turned again to the prisoner and 
said, ' Commodore Barney, you are paroled, where do you 
wish to be conveyed ? ' — His wound had in the meantime been 
dressed by a British surgeon, and he requested to be conveyed 
to Bladensburg. The General immediately ordered a sergeant's 
guard to attend with a litter, and Captain Wainwright was di- 
rected by the Admiral to accompany it, and see that every at- 
tention was paid to the Commodore. He was still very weak, 
and the motion of the litter excited such intense pain in his 
wound, that he was unable to restrain the expression of it in his 
countenance. — Captain W. observed it, and immediately or- 
dered the soldiers to put the Htter down, saying ' they did not 
know how to handle a man' — he then directed a young na- 
val officer who was with him to ' bring a gang of sailors' to 
carry the litter. This order was speedily executed, and the 



S68 



MEMOIR OF 



Commodore found a most agreeable difference in the comfort of 
his conveyance, for the rest of the road, for the sailors, as Cap- 
tain W. had predicted, ' handled him like a child.' 

Just as this change of carriers had been affected, one of his 
wounded men, who had been taken prisoner, and whose arm 
was hangingonly by a small peice of the skin by his side, as he 
passed near the litter stopped, knelt by the side of his comman- 
der, and seizing one of his hands with the only arm he had, kiss- 
ed it.repeatedly with great apparent affection and burst into tears ! 
The effect of this action upon the British sailors was electric — 
they began to wipe their eyes, and blow their noses, in concert, 
and one of them at length broke out — with, ' Well, d — n my 
eyes ! if he was n't a kind commander, that chap would n't ha 
done that /' 

Upon reaching Bladensburg, he was taken, at his own request, 
into ' Ross's Tavern,' and there taking a bank note of fifty dol- 
lars from his pocket-book, he offered it to the sailors, in remu- 
neration of the care and tenderness with which they had con- 
veyed him ; but these noble hearted tars positively refused to 
accept a single cent for their labor. After they had retired, 
he sent for the sergeant of the guard, who had first undertaken 
tlie service of conveying him, and offered the note to Mm : it 
was accepted without the hesitation of a moment, and with many 
bows and thanks — the reader will hardly be surprised to learn, 
that a fellow capable of taking money from a prisoner under 
such circumstances, could have neither military pride nor patri- 
otism ; he deserted xh^t night with his whole command. 

Captain Miller, who as we have said had been severely wound- 
ed, in the gallant charge upon the enemy in the field to the right of 
the battery being unable to leave the ground, was among the pri- 
soners, and was brought into the Commodore's room soon after 
he got himself established at Ross's. 

With the retreat of Barney's men, the battle, of course, end- 
ed ; the enemy remained on the battle-ground until the after- 
noon of the next day, the 25th, and then marched leisurely into 
the city. With their conduct there, as it does not belong to our 
subject, we shall not meddle. General Ross, on the day of 
his entering the city, sent a list of officers to the Commodore, for 
his ratification, whom he had agreed to parole ; and that eve- 
ning, the guard — which had been stationed at his door, at 
his own request, to prevent the annoyance of intruders — sud- 
denly abandoned him, from which he concluded that the enemy 
were already moving off, a surmise that was verified the next 
morning. Mr Bartlett, the secretary to the British Commissary 



COMMODORE BARNEY. 269 

of prisoners, came to him, early on the 26th, to say that the 
army had retired to Upper Marlborough, and to request that 
he would send for some of his own men, for the purpose of keep 
ing order in the town and preventing mischief from stragglers 
and deserters — he very kindly offered his own horse to con- 
vey the Commodore's orders. The latter immediately sent off 
his landlord, Mr Ross, with a letter to General Mason, the 
American Commissary of prisoners, and all proper steps 
were taken that the case required. In the evening, Captain 
Burd, of the light horse, came in with his men ; from him the 
Commodore learned that the enemy had left upwards of eighty 
wounded officers and men in the village, with a guard to pro- 
tect and attend them, but that the guard would surrender to him 
without difficulty — he directed that the guard should be secur- 
ed, and the officers paroled, and that a party of his men should 
be sent out to pick up stragglers, and a few posted in the village 
to preserve order. All this duty was attended to, in the midst 
of great pain and suffering from his wound ; and he remained 
in Bladensburg until the 27th, when his wife, his son, and his 
own surgeon, Dr Hamilton, arrived with a carriage, in which he 
was conveyed, upon a bed, to his farm at Elkridge.* 

* See Appendix, No. XL 



23* 



CHAPTER XVIII 



The City of Washington presents a sword to Commodore Barney. — He is des- 
patched with a Flag of Truce to the British Admiral. — Exchange of prison- 
ers. — British writers. — Commodore Barney resumes command of the flo- 
tilla. — Debate in Congress, on a motion to indemnify the officers and men 
of the flotilla for their losses. — Vote of thanks by the Legislature of Geor- 
gia. — Treaty of Peace. — The flotilla is disbanded. — The Commodore is 
sent with Despatches to Europe : — unhappy effects of the voyage upon his 
health : — melancholy state of his mind. — He petitions the Legislature of 
Pennsylvania for authority to replace the sword stolen from him : — his dis- 
content and gloom. — Reflections upon the causes of his depression. — An- 
ecdote of his arrest for debt and its consequences. — Example of his profuse 
liberality. — He makes a journey to Kentucky with his family : — his account 
of it. — Public dinners — Toasts — Speeches. — Legisla.ive honors voted to 
him. — Town of Elizabeth : — Settlers on his lands. — Curious account of a 
Survey and its results. — Satisfactory termination of his labors and difficul- 
ties. 

Many attempts were made to extract the ball from Commo- 
dore Barney's wound, all of which proved ineffectual : it had 
so securely imbedded itself behind the head of the femur, that 
the surgeons were unable to ascertain its position with their in- 
struments, or to feel it ; and as they did not deem it advisable 
to cut at random for the purpose of finding it, they proceeded 
to heal the wound. — The comforts of home, and the close at- 
tentions of a devoted wife, children, and friends, soon raised 
him once more upon his feet ; but this unfortunate ball continued, 
occasionally, to give him great uneasiness during the rest of his 
life, and was, indeed, eventually the cause of his death. While 
he was thus confined, it afforded him the most cordial gratifica- 
tion to hear, that his gallant flotilla men were bravely sustaining, 
in the defence of Baltimore, the high reputation they had earn- 
ed at St Leonard's Creek and Washington : the greater part of 
the credit, in fact, which was so lavishly bestowed upon the 
commander and officers of Fort McHenry — whose merit con- 
sisted in not abandoning the fort — was due to the officers of 
the flotilla, whose batteries executed the only damage which the 



MEMOIR OF COMMODORE BARNEY. 271 

enemy received in their attempt to land above the fort.* On 
the 20th of September, he was well enough to ride to Balti- 
more, and to visit his flotilla, on which occasion he ' was receiv- 
ed with repeated acclamations by his brave fellows of the flo- 
tilla. 'f Shortly after this, an elegant sword was presented to 
him by the Mayor of Washington, the late Dr James H. Blake 
— the father of the young gentleman whom we have heretofore 
introduced to the reader as a volunteer in the Commodore's 
barge at the battle of St Leonard's — which had been voted to 
him by the corporation of Washington, ' as a testimonial of the 
high sense which this corporation entertains of his distinguished 
gallantry and good conduct at the batde of Bladensburg.'| 

On the 7th of October he proceeded to the seat of govern- 
ment, and was on the same day despatched with a flag of truce to 
the British commander in the Chesapeake Bay, for the purpose 
of arranging an exchange of prisoners. He took with him 
Colonels Thornton and Woods, several other British officers, 
and about eighty men, being authorized by the Commissary 
General of prisoners to make a general exchange, upon terms 
to be decided by his own discretion. Upon reaching the Ad- 
miral's ship, he was fortunate enough to find Colonel Brook, 
then commanding officer of the British forces, with whom he 
entered immediately into a convention || — with the approbation 
of Admiral Malcom — by which it was agreed that all the pri- 
soners, on either side, who had been taken at the battle of 
Bladensburg and in the attack on Baltimore, should be recipro- 
cally released : the British who had been left at Bladensburg, 
and Washington, and afterwards sent to Fredericktown, were to 
be forwarded to the fleet ; and the Americans who had been 
sent to Halifax and Bermuda were to be released and sent 
home. By this arrangement, in which the Commodore him- 
self was included, there was a balance left in favor of the 
United States of one hundred and tiventy men — a fact which 
furnishes the best answer that can be given, to the vaunting ac- 

* See Appendix, No. XII. 

I Niles's Register, Vol. vn. p. 32. — Mr Niles states that the Commodore 
' resumed his command' on this day ; but this is a mistake, into which the 
Editor was very naturally led by a mere visit of kindness, converted by the 
enthusiasm of the men into one of triumph. The Commodore was not ex- 
changed until the 8th of October, and therefore could not have resumed 
his command in September, without a breach of parole. 

t For the description of the sword and Resolutions of the corporation, see. 
Appendix, No. XIII. 

II See Appendix, No. XIV. 



272 



MEMOIR OP 



counts which certain British officers gave to the world of their 
operations at Washington. We are not disposed to deny to the 
British army any of the merit which they deserved in this ex- 
traordinary enterprise — that they frightened our government, 
infused a panic into our troops, and were permitted to enter our 
Capital iu triumph, are facts, however disgraceful, too notorious- 
ly true to be contradicted. But when, on the other hand, it is 
taken into consideration, that a British army of veterans, more 
than five thousand strong, were held in check for several hours 
by less than five hundred seamen and marines, who with five 
pieces of artillery bravely maintained their ground, in defiance 
of every attempt to dislodge them, and who finally made good 
their retreat, in unbroken order — that the invaders lost, in 
killed, wounded, prisoners and deserters, not less than eleven 
hundred men, and that the American loss did not exceed sixty 
men, fifty of whom belonged to the gallant band just mentioned 

— we cannot think that the foe had any great reason to boast of 
their triumph. Some of the British writers have done justice, 
in their narratives of this invasion, to the gallantry of ' Barney 
and his flotilla men ; ' but we are not acquainted with a single 
one who has given the whole truth.* 

Immediately after his visit to the British fleet, he returned to 
Baltimore, and on the 10th of October resumed the command 
of his flotilla. Several new barges had, in the meantime, been 
built and equipped — a steam frigate, intended to be added to 
his command, was on the stocks, nearly ready to be launched 

— and he had received orders from the Navy Department to 
recruit a large number of men, with authority to augment 
their bounty and pay. The enemy's ships left the Bay, soon 
after the exchange of prisoners : and though commissioners had 
been appointed by the respective governments to negotiate 
a Treaty of Peace, there was no remission of diligence in the 
preparations for a renewal of hostilities in the following spring. 
In the course of this month, a petition was presented to Con- 
gress, in behalf of the officers and seamen of the flotilla, asking 
indemnity for the losses of clothes and other private effects 
sustained by the destruction of the barges in the Patuxent. It 
occasioned an animated debate in the House, and there seemed 
to be a wilful disposition to misunderstand, or to misrepresent, 
the merits of the question, on the part of many of the mem- 
bers ; by whom it was averred, either from inexcusable ignor- 
ance or some till worse motive, that the enemy were not with- 
in a day's march of the flotilla, when it was blown up — thus in- 

* See Appendix, No. XV. 



COMMODORE BARNEY. 27^ 

timating that the destruction had been a wanton act of mischief 
or cowardice, for which it would be but just to^leave the suffer- 
ers without rehef. The moment Commodore Barney saw the 
turn given to the discussion, he addressed a letter to the honor- 
able Mr Pleasants of Virginia, in which he indignantly repelled 
the unworthy insinuations, and justified the orders he had left 
with his officer to destroy the flotilla. It will be recollected 
that he landed his men on the 21st of August, in pursuance of 
positive orders from the Secretary of the Navy, and on the 
same day joined General Winder at the Woodyard, leaving an 
officer and about a hundred men, that the flotilla might be 
taken care of to the last moment, and then destroyed only as an 
alternative to its falling into the hands of the enemy. — He 
stated, that at the moment orders were given to blow up the 
flotilla, the enemy were firing upon it from forty barges with 
cannon and rockets, and had landed a body of marines at Pig 
Point, within a mile of the spot where it lay — that so far 
from its being possible to save it by moving it farther up the river 
as was alleged, it was already aground — and that instead of 
having time to save the baggage, die destruction was so long 
delayed that several of the men were taken prisoners while en- 
gaged in the act of spreading the fire. As to himself, and the 
men with whom he had marched on the previous day, it was 
they, and not the enemy, who were * a day's march' from the 
flotilla. To have encumbered them widi the baggage of the flo- 
tilla, would have been an act of superlative folly. The letter 
was read in the House, by the gentleman to whom it. was ad- 
dressed, and we may pursume it had the effect of removing 
some of the misconceptions and prejudices previously existing ; 
for on the next day the bill was passed, with an amendment, how- 
ever, which confined the relief granted, to the ' petty officers 
and seamen.' * 

While the representatives of the nation were thus ungene- 
rously and ungratefully outraging the feelings of this gallant de- 
fender of their capital, the State of Georgia was doing honor to 
herself in preparing for him the highest reward which a spirit 
like his could receive. The Legislature passed a unanimous 
resolution, expressing their sense of his merits, and thanking him 
for his good conduct in defence of the capital of the United 
States : the resolution was transmitted to him in a complimen- 
tary letter from the Governor of the State, and we may readily 
believe that it acted as a balm to his wounds of mind and body, 

* See Appendix, No. XVI. 



274 MEMOIR OP 

In the midstof his active preparations — which would in a short 
time have placed him in a situation to defend every part of 
1815 the Chesapeake — at least against \\\e pillaging enter- 
prises of the enemy — Mr Hughee arrived from Ghent, 
on the 14th of February, bearing the treaty of peace ; and all 
further hostile operations were suddenly stopped. Congress im- 
mediately passed a law directing the flotilla to be discharged, and 
granting a gratuity of four months' pay to the officers and men ; 
orders were soon afterwards received from the Navy Depart- 
ment by the Commodore, to lay up his boats under safe cover- 
ing, and to disband his gallant crews. This was speedily ac- 
complished, and by the 29th of April, all his multifarious ac- 
counts with the government had been examined and settled to 
his satisfaction. 

He had scarcely returned home, after being thus exonerated 
from the labors and responsibilities of command, before he was 
called upon by the Secretary of the Navy to present himself 
once more at Washington. On his arrival at the seat of gov- 
ernment, he was told, that the President was desirous that he 
should proceed immediately to Europe, as the bearer of des- 
patches to the several American plenipotentiaries. The Presi- 
dent, probably, had no other motive in his selection of a mes- 
senger than the wish to offer a compliment to one who had 
richly merited much higher distinction ; but the Commodore — 
whose very infirm health would otherwise have induced him to 
decline the voyage — under the impression that he would hard- 
ly have been called from home to do that which any ordinary 
messenger might have performed as well, had too much pa- 
triotism to weigh his own ease and comfort against the demands 
of public duty, and unfortbnately consented to go. Though 
suffering constant, and at times very severe, pain from his 
wound, his preparations for departure were made with his ac- 
customed alertness ; and on the 25th of May he sailed from 
Baltimore, in a vessel bound to Plymouth — a port which he 
had many reasons to remember with feelings of varied interest. 
The passage was a tedious one for the season of the year, and 
he arrived on 6th of July — his 56th birth-day — excessively 
fatigued and indisposed. Hearing at Plymouth, that Mr Bay- 
ard, one of the gendemen to whom his despatches were ad- 
dressed, had already sailed from that port for the United States ; 
that Mr Clay and Mr Gallatin, two others of the commissioners, 
were on the point of sailing from Liverpool : and that Mr Ad- 
ams alone remained at London, he set out immediately for the 
latter city, and arrived there in such a state of extreme debil- 



COMMODORE BARNEY. 



275 



ity and suffering, that he was unable for several days to rise 
from his bed. After delivering his despatches to Mr Adams, 
he would have proceeded at once to Stockholm — the resi- 
dence of the other commissioner, Mr Russell — but that he was 
relieved from the necessity, by being informed that it would 
be quite sufficient to forward his letters by any safe conveyance : 
he had now therefore only to wait for the despatches of Mr 
Adams, which were soon ready for him, and on the 9th of Au- 
gust, he embarked, at Gravesend, on his return to the United 
States. He was ill nearly the whole passage home, which was 
unusually long and tedious, for the ship did not arrive at Balti- 
more until the 13th of October. 

He had thus been, for five months, in a state of constant and 
fatiguing exerdon, without even the consolation of knowing that 
there had been any adequate motive for his labors and priva- 
tions. The effect upon his system may be readily imagined. 
When he landed at Baltimore, it was scarcely possible to recog- 
nise his identity : his countenance had lost all its sparkling glow, 
his cheeks were pale and sunken, and his whole frame emaciat- 
ed, except the wounded limb, which was swollen throughout its 
whole extent to nearly double its natural size. It would have 
been impossible for him to have travelled, while in such a state, 
whatever might have been the importance of the despatches 
entrusted to his care ; but as he had good reason to believe, 
that no interest of the country could suffer by his transferring 
them to another, he was easily persuaded to send one of his 
sons with them to Washington, while he, as soon as he was able 
to move, retired to the quiet and repose of his farm. 

Many months elapsed before he recovered — if, indeed, he 
ever did recover — from the effects of this voyage. He re- 
mained at home, confined the greater part of the winter to his 
chamber, not only suffering excruciating bodily pain, but labor- 
ing under a depression of spirits, such as his family had never 
before witnessed in him, and for which they found it difficult to 
conjecture any adequate cause. He had never been in the 
habit of troubling his friends or his family with griefs and com- 
plaints ; and the natural buoyancy and elasticity of his mind, 
had hitherto enabled him to bear up against every reverse of 
fortune, with a stoicism worthy of Zeno himself. Where the 
remedy for an evil was in his own hands, he had never wanted 
the skill or the courage to apply it : where the misfortune was 
irremediable by human means, no man knew better how to sus- 
tain it without repining. But his physical organization was now 
diseased — more out of order than it had ever before been — 



276 



MEMOIR OP 



and it was not wonderful that his mind should be somewhat 
shaken in its firmness by the severity of the shock. He who 
had all his life looked only at the bright side of every picture, 
began to feel a gloomy pleasure in reversing the canvas, and 
hunting out, like a querulous cynic, the dark spots and stains 
that disfigured it — his temper, naturally quick and impatient, 
but withal placable and easy to be soothed, was now becoming 
peevish and irritable : the society of his best friends was irk- 
some to hifn, and he seemed to be fast setding into the morose- 
ness of misanthropy. 

The reader will probably recollect, that, soon after the Com- 
modore's arrival at Paris with Mr Monroe in the year 1794, 
his chamber was robbed, and that, among other things stolen 
from it, was the sword which had been presented to him by 
the State of Pennsylvania, in 1782. He regarded the loss at 
the time as the most serious misfortune that could have befallen 
him ; the most extravagant rewards were offered, and the in- 
genuity of the police was put in requisition, to recover it, but 
without success, and he would have been inconsolable but for 
the belief, that the State of Pennsylvania would make no ob- 
jection to grant him authority ' to have another sword made, 
at his oivn expense, with the same emblems and devices as on 
the former one.' In the winter of 1814, while he was en- 
gaged in the active preparations of his flotilla for renewed 
hostilities, and while the whole country was still echoing the 
fame of his gallant exploit at Biadensburg, he thought the op- 
portunity a favorable one for carrying into execution his long 
cherished design, and with that view addressed a petition to the 
Legislature of Pennsylvania, asking the permission we have 
quoted above. He inclosed the petition to his friend, the Hon- 
orable Jonathan Roberts, then a Senator in Congress from 
that State, with a request that he would make such disposal of 
it as to his friendship and judgment might seem best. Mr 
Roberts very promptly transmitted it to Harrisburg, and ac- 
companied it with a letter from himself to the Speaker of the 
Senate, (the late Judge Todd,) in which he urged it upon the 
attention of the legislature, by every consideration that the 
warmest sympathy and good wishes for the petitioner could sug- 
gest. The petition was presented and read on the 28th of 
December, 1814, and led, as we believe, to some warm and 
excited discussion ; but in the end, a resolution was passed, 
which was approved by the Governor on the 4th of March, 
following, in these words : 



COMMODORE BARNEY. 277 

' The legislature continues mindful of the revolutionary 
services of Commodore Barney, and as well in consideration 
of those services, as of the signal exertions and good coiKJuct 
at Bladensbnrg in August last, in defence of the capital of the 
United States, Therefore, Resolved by the Senate and House 
of Representatives of the commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 
general assembly met, that the said Commodore Barney is 
hereby authorized to procure a sword with devices and emblems 
similar to the one presented to him by the legislature of this 
commonwealth, in one thousand seven hundred and eighty- 
two.' 

When he saw this Resolution, of which it is remarkable that 
he did not receive a copy until late in December, at the period 
we have represented him to be in a state of great mental de- 
pression, he thought he could perceive, in its peculiar phraseol- 
ogy, an unworthy design, on the part of the legislature, to 
wound and insult his feelings while they affected to con)pliment 
his bravery : they seemed to give a cold assent to the prayer 
of his petition, not because they desired to perpetuate the re- 
membrance of his former services, but because his recent 
good conduct had left them without an excuse to refuse. — 
Gloomy fancies, like misfortunes, never come in single file : 
one disagreeable and painful idea seldom fails to engender 
another, and when we once begin to quarrel with the v/orld, 
every little disappointment of our hopes rises upon the memory 
as some intended insult; — we imagine a thousand wrongs, and 
remember a thousand slights, that exist only in the disease of 
the mind ; we compare our lot with that of some favored min- 
ion of fortune, and, forgetting that the smiles of the goddess 
are not always the reward of merit, torment ourselves with 
fruitless endeavors to find an explanation of the disparity — 
pride and self-respect lose their wholesome influence, and our 
peace and happiness become the victims of our own morbid 
sensibility. — We do not mean to be understood as affirming 
that Commodore Barney had no cause to be dissatisfied with 
the seeming state of oblivion, into which his many arduous and 
important services had been permitted to sink, by those who 
had it in their power, and whose duty it was, to remember and 
reward them ; — on the contrary, we are ready to maintain that 
he had been most ungratefully forgotten, both by the govern- 
ment of his native State and that of the United States, on many 
suitable occasions, when they had been dispensing honors with 
a lavish hand upon many who certainly could not better de- 
serve them than he did ; but we mean only to say, and we think 
24 



278 



MEMOIR OF 



the reader will agree with us, that there was nothing in the terms 
of the Resolution of the Pennsylvania legislature, which ought 
to have been considered as offensive, and that his viewing it in 
that light, is to be ascribed only to the peculiar state of his 
mind and frame at the time of receiving it. We are unwilling 
to believe, that any dignified public body, and more especially 
the legislature of a State which his revolutionary services had 
so largely contributed to illustrate, would designedly insult a 
gallant officer, whose pedtion to them was in itself an evidence 
of the high and honorable motives that actuated him. It is 
true, the legislature displayed no great liberality or generosity, 
on the occasion which his request so fairly offered for the ex- 
ercise of public munificence ; but they granted all that he asked, 
and would no doubt have done the same had his prayer extend- 
ed to the means as well as the authority ' to procure a sword.' 
At any other moment, his own consciousness of merit would 
have saved him from the mortification of thinking it possible, 
that any legislative or executive body in the United States, 
could either forget his services, or so far dishonor their own 
characters as wantonly to insult his feelings or contemn his high 
claims to consideration. Even the best disposed governments 
have it not always in their power to show the gratitude they feel, 
at the moment when it would be most soothing and acceptable 
to those to whom it is due ; nor can they, upon all occasions, 
manifest it in the form most desired : duly must somedmes 
interfere with inclination, and political necessity often steps in 
to divert the regular current of both. When his mind was in 
the vigor and activity of health, Commodore Barney knew how 
to make allowance for the variety of motive that might deter- 
mine the conduct of those in power, without attributing their 
apparent neglect of him to causes mortifying to his self-respect ; 
but it is not in the power of philosophy itself to control the 
morbid influence of a diseased frame, upon the operations of 
the mental facuhies. 

In addition, however, to this physical cause of his unwonted 
depression of spirits, there were other circumstances well cal- 
culated to communicate a gloomy hue to his reflections and 
future prospects. We have had more than one occasion to ob- 
serve, that, though he had been generally successful in his 
efforts to make money, he was as unskilled as a child in the 
more difficult art of hoarding it ; and that his open, unsuspi- 
cious nature, exposed him to every species of depredation 
from the cunning and avaricious. But notwithstanding the im- 
mense losses which he sustained from these causes, the perfidy 



COMMODORE BARNEY". 279 

of agents, and the dishonesty of those with whom it was his 
fortune to be connected in business, there ought still to have 
been left to him a sum sufficient, under anything like a joru- 
dent management, to have supported him through a long life in 
comfort, if not in splendor. The expenses of his family were, 
for many years, almost incredibly enormous ; but it would be 
unjust to blame them for an extravagance, which was not only 
authorized by his unlimited allowances to them, while abroad, 
but encouraged by his own profuse and princely style of living, 
on his return home. His liberality and indulgence to his child- 
ren were, literally, without bounds — as an example of it, we 
may mention the fact, that the allowance to his sons, when 
sent, each in his turn, to Europe, (independently of clothing 
and travelling expenses,) was very nearly equal to the salary 
paid to the Governor of the State of Maryland. He believed 
himself wealthy enough to afford it, and unfortunately did not 
stop to calculate any deeper consequence of this profusion, 
than the present abstraction of so much money from a capital 
which was to be entirely theirs wlien he should be no more. 
It never occurred to him, that either he or they could be injured, 
by an indulgence which sprung from a doating, paternal affec- 
tion. The sole object of his many toils — the only end for 
which he had ever desired to amass a fortune, was that he 
might be enabled to give the means of enjoyment to his child- 
ren, and live a witness of the fruition it was his happiness to 
bestow. His confidence in his children was as unlimited as 
his parental fondness : but he had never himself learned a les- 
son in the useful science of economy, and was therefore as little 
acquainted with its precepts as he was unconscious of its ne- 
cessity. If he had ever heard of the Scotsman's advice to his 
son, upon sending him forth into the world, it is very certain it 
made no impression upon his thoughts when he was composing 
his instructions on a similar occasion. With the single omis- 
sion, however, of this very important item in the paternal counsel, 
we cannot help saying that his farewell letters, upon the depart- 
ure of his sons from home, evince a knowledge of the world, a 
soundness of judgment,. and a correctness of feeling, which the 
proper use of experience will always be sure to confirm. The 
autograph of one of these 'etters is now before us, and we 
trust the reader will not tliink a few extracts from it out of place. 
— ' You are now going,' it says, ' into what we call the world — 
be always polite to every one, but familiar with few. You can- 
not be too cautious in your intercourse with strangers — trust 



280 MEMOIR OF 

none willi your opinions, secrets, or money. Make no friends, 
as the term is too loosely used : if in your whole life you shall 
find one who deserves that title, look upon it as a wonder ! — 
The usages and manners you will see, are not such as you have 
heen accustomed to : do not confide in ap'pearances — in every 
such cily as Paris, or London, there are tens of thousands who 
are constantly on the watch for exactly such characters as you 
will be among them — that is, a young man and a stranger, 
whom they may dupe and plunder ; they live by no other means 
and at tlie same time keep, what is called, the best company — 
avokl these as you would escape destruction. — Remember that 
you have not only a character to gain for yourself but that you 
will fllso be expected to'support that which 1 have been so many 
years building up. — Pay [)roper respect to all who deserve it, 
but never lessen or degrade yourself by servility to any. — Mr 

will furnish you with what money you may vi^ant for the 

purchase of such clothes as you may think proper for your own 
use, and cdso v,'ith 24 livres per day for your expenses, which is 
as much as any gentleman ought to spend who does not heep 
a coach, v.'hich you will have no necessity to do — observe, 1 
do not include travelling expenses. — Convinced that you will 
do everything I have recommended, I wish you a safe voyage 
and happiness.' 

The same reckless profusion — the same uncalculating 
wastefulness of allowance — displayed itself in every branch of 
his domestic expenditure, until the evil was believed to be be- 
yond remedy. He had fondly imagined, while, a few years 
before, he was making so lavish a distribution of his weahh 
among his children, that he was not only conferring indepen- 
dence and happiness upon them, but at the same time adopting 
the most agreeable and certain method of laying up a future 
provision for himself, should any unforeseen contingency arise 
to render a call upon it necessary ; for he never doubted a mo- 
ment, that it would give his children as much pleasure to share 
their property with him, should such an act of reciprocity be- 
come necessary for his support or comfort, as it did himself to 
render them so early independent. The unfortunate termina- 
tion of their commercial career, as we have seen, not only de- 
stroyed these happy anticipations, but involved his remaining 
estate in still further embarrassments. So long as his health 
continued unimpaired, and he couW enjoy the society of a few 
old companions and friends, the altered state of his finances nev- 
er gave him a moment's uneasiness, or, if it did, he had too 
much fortitude to let it appear. The bustle of the war, which 



COMMODORE BARNEY. 



281 



soon afterwards intervened — in which we have endeavored to 
show that he was no idle spectator — had the same effect of 
diverting his thoughts from the unwelcome subject, albeit an in- 
cident occurred at its very commencement, which, it might be 
supposed, vtas well calculated to force it upon his mind to the ex- 
clusion of all others. We forbore to relate it at the time, not 
only because it seemed to make no impression upon him, but be- 
cause it would have inierrupted the course of the narrative, and 
compelled us either to leave the reader in suspense, or, by an- 
ticipating events, diminish the interest it was our wish to excite. 
On the day that the Rossie — a name which we trust has not 
been forgotten by the reader^ — sailed from Baltimore, at the 
moment when her gallant and veteran commander, (having ex- 
changed farewell with the last of his friends who attended him 
to the wharf,) was about to step into the boat, waiting to convey 
him to the cruiser, he received a gentle tap upon the shoulder 
from a sheriff's officer, who, with a grace peculiar to these well- 
bred gentlemen, expressed his ' regret at being obliged to de- 
tain him, but his duty compelled him to say there was a " suspi- 
cion of debt " against him to the amount of a thousand dollars, 
which it would be necessary for him to do away, before he could 
be permitted to take his departure on so perilous an enterprise !' 
Knowing the ' suspicion' to be well founded, he did not attempt 
to gainsay the accusation set forth in the writ exhibited, but very 
quietly gave himself up to be dealt with ' according to law.' 
The officer was very civil, and contenting himself with having, 
as he thought, broken up the expedition, he was willing to take 
the Commodore's word for his 'appearance' at the proper time. 
It was, as we may readily suppose, not without some feeling of 
vexation, that he found himself thus unexpectedly arrested, at a 
moment when so many eyes were fixed upon him, and so many 
voices offering their wishes for the success of the cruise ; but, 
yielding with a good grace to the stern necessity of the case, 
he passed his word to the sheriff that he would be forthcoming 
at the next county court, and then turned his back upon the 
wharf, intending to deliver up his papers to the 'ship's husband' 
and go quietly home again to his wife and farm. He sauntered 
slowly up South-street, until he reached the compting-house of 
his friend Isaac McKim, Esquire, into which he turned as a 
momentary resting place. Mr McKim expressed surprise at 
seeing him, saying he thought he had been ' at least half way to 
the Capes by this time !' — ' Capes, indeed !' replied the veter- 
an, ' I shall see no Capes, this season.' — ' No Capes .' What 
do you mean by that?' — 'Why, I mean just what I-say !' — 
24* 



282 MEMOIR OF 

'But I don't understand you!' — 'That's not my ku\t — 1 
speak plain English, don't I ?' — ' Speak French, then, and may 
be I shall understand you better.' — 'Pshaw! man, I tell you 
all the fat 's in the fire !' — ' B^hat fat ?' continued the merchant, 
curious to have the riddle expounded, but willing to humor the 
peculiar mood of the Commodore, which he knew that some- 
thing extraordinary must have occurred to produce — ' What 
fat?' — 'I am not going out in the Rossie ! that's all 1' — ' Not 
going out in the Rossie, come, come Barney, this is carrying 
the joke far enough — do tell me in plain terms — you have had 
a quarrel with some of the owners, ha ?' — 'No, but 1 have 
been nabbed — had a writ served upon me just as I was stepping 
into the boat, and have given my parole to answer at the next 
court — So, I am off, do you see, to Elkridge, and the Rossie 
must look out for another commander.' — ' The Rossie shall do no 
such thing — what 's the amount of the writ ?' — 'A 1!bousand 1' 
— ' Po ! po ! all this fuss for a thousand dollars ! — here go and 
pay off the suit, and get aboard as fast as you can.' — Nothing 
could have been further from the Commodore's dreams than such 
a result to his visit, when he entered the compting-house ; he 
had not the remotest intention of seeking a loan, but did not hes- 
itate a moment to accept one so generously forced upon him, par- 
ticularly as he had been really more mortified than he was willing 
to acknowledge at the untimely arrest, which compelled him to re- 
mquish a favorite enterprise. It took him but -a few minutes 
to redeem his parole from the keeping of the sheriff's officer, 
and in the course of an hour he stood upon the deck of the Ros- 
sie as she moved in gallant trim upon her seaward path. — Such 
an incident, it may be supposed, did not long repain a secret ; 
and before the end of the day, the kind hearted merchant re- 
ceived a visit from one of the Commodore's ivell loishers — 
possibly the very individual at whose suit he had been arrested 
— who began to open upon him in a strain of reproach, as rude 
and violent as if he had been guilty of a crime in lending his 
money to an old fellow-citizen, without waiting to be asked. 
' You'll never see a cent of it again, thai is very certain,' said 
this despicable backbiter, ' and it will serve you right for 
your officious good-nature and folly. — 'Well, well'.' replied 
Mr McK. in his peculiar manner, 'the loss of a, thousand dol- 
lars would not nan one — blit I have no fear ol losing it, i 
"knov) the man.'' — In less than a week after the return of the 
Rossie from her cruise, her gallant commander called at the 
comp'.ing-house of his friend, and verified his good opinion, by 
repaying every cent of his generous loan. Mr McKim never 



COMMODORE BARNEV. 283 

told liim of the base imputatioa which had been cast upon him, 
and he remained to the day of his death perfectly unconscious 
of the high gratification he had bestowed on his friend, by this 
simple act of common honesty. ' It was not that 1 cared a fig 
for the money,' said this worthy citizen, in relating the anecdote 
to one of the Commodore's family, ' but it enabled me to stop 
the mouth of a calumniator.' — We have before said, that the 
cruise of the Rossie,though widely destructive to the commerce 
of the enemy and therefore preeminently successful in a national 
point of view, was but litde profitable to the numerous individu- 
als who had united to fit her out ; this being remembered, the 
reader will easily conceive that the portion of prize money re- 
maining to the Commodore, after the payment just mentioned, 
must have been of very insignificant amount : it was sufficient, 
however, to free him from immediate embarrassment, and his 
subsequent busy occupation in more important concerns banish- 
ed all thought of pecuniary matters from his mind. 

The effort to stop short in a long indulged career of extrava- 
gance and profusion in the expenditure of money, is generally 
acknowledged to be one of the most arduous and difficult trials 
of life. The conviction that such an effort is necessary is, in- 
deed, seldom admitted undl the heedless prodigal, like the un- 
believing Didymus, is made to feel the reality of the proof — 
and then it too often leads to a mere relinquishment of former 
habits, instead of rousing the mind to a new and different course 
of action. But, however true it may be that the Commodore's 
pecuniary resources were greatly impaired and deranged, by 
imprudence and want of economy in their management, they 
were certainly never reduced to so desperate a state as to justi- 
fy the fears that now assailed him — he was still the possessor 
of a princely territory in the state of Kentucky; the farm on 
which he resided (which was the property of his wife,) supplied 
him with all the necessaries and comforts of life ; his children 
were all married and doing well, neither dependent upon him, 
nor having the slightest claim to any further expectations from 
him ; — • and yet we find him gloomy, despondent, and queru- 
lous. From his letter to his friend Mr Roberts, written at the 
close of this year, we learn that he had applied to the President 
soon after the peace, for a Consulship, but that his application 
' met with disappointment.' He speaks in it, feelingly, of the 
' cold neglect of those in power,' and complains that the Execu- 
tive had never even mentioned his name in his communications to 
Congress, although he had granted brevet promodon to two 
officers under his command. He considered this omission as 



284 



MEMOIR OP 



implying the President's belief, that he had not done his duty, 
and adds, ' Be it so ! I leave my country to judge — this is my 
consolation.' Again, he says : ' Last session when Congress so 
liberally voted thanks to some and stoords to others, I never 
had the satisfaction of seeing my name brought up, though the 
Legislature of Georgia communicated their thanks through the 
Governor of that State to me on the affair of Bladensburg.' — 
' Thus you see " kissing goes by favor" — Such things, my dear 
sir, would almost convince me " republics are ungrateful." When 
I recollect that such men as *** by favor, may boldly enter 
the inner galleries of the halls of legislation and be seated among 
the select, while others with disabled bodies, and leaning on 
crutches, are to seek a cold seat in the outer galleries, if they 
can make their way to such a one ! — my dear sir, let me die 
rather than realize such a sight !' 

That we have been right in attributing this depression of spirits 
and disposition to complain, to the pain and sufferings 
1816 of the body, rather than to causes which we believe had 
no existence but in his own imagination, seems to be 
confirmed by the fact, that as his health returned and he was 
able to move about upon his crippled limb without assistance, 
the natural gayety and cheerfulness of his temper were soon 
restored, and nothing more was heard of ' neglected merit,' or 
' disappointed hopes.' During the summer, he was well enough 
to make an occasional short visit to Washington, or toBalti- 
more, and to take an active part in the management of his farm. 
He became once more the life and delight of his domestic cir- 
cle, enjoyed a social intercourse with his neighbors, inquired 
into and relieved the distresses of the poor in his vicinity, and 
was as happy a country gentleman as any the county could 
produce. 

He continued thus tranquil and contented, until the autumn 
of 1816, when his love of rambling again seized him, and he 
determined to undertake a journey to Kentucky, for the pur- 
pose of more closely looking into the condition of his long neg- 
lected lands, and making some preparatory arrangements for 
his final removal to that State. As a proof, however, that his 
desire to travel proceeded strictly from impatience of confine- 
ment, and not from a weariness of his little circle at home, he 
proposed to his wife, and her sister, (who resided with them,) 
that they should bear him company in his peregrinations. They 
joyfully acceded to the proposition, and set about making their 
preparations with an alacrity that equalled even his own habitual 
rapidity of motion. The ladies were both so expert in eques- 



COMMODORE BARNEY. 



285 



trian exercises, that they insisted upon making the journey on 
horseback, and about the middle of October, the litde caval- 
cade took the road to the West. A letter from the Commo- 
dore, dated at Union-town (Red Stone) the 30th of October, 
gives the following graphic sketch of their progress thus far : — 
' We arrived here yesterday at 4 o'clock, after travelling the 
very worst roads 1 ever saw over the mountains. We go into 
Brownsville today, where I mean to take icater, if possible. — 
The roads are so cut up by the thousand wagons which are con- 
stantly travelling West, that we cannot get on by land. — We 
had almost a fatal accident on the road — in crossing a ford, 
about fifty yards wide, and not more than a foot and a half, or 
two feet, deep, the horse on which Maria [the sister of Mrs B.], 
rode, was seized with 'a jit, and fell with her into the water j 
before I could jump from my horse and run to her relief, she. 
was nearly drowned, her foot being entangled in the stirrup so 
as to prevent her rising. — I soon extricated her, however, and 
no ill consequences have followed her ducking — on the con- 
trary, her heahh is much improved, and we are all well — my 
horses are excellent — love to all ! ' 

The next we hear of him is at Frankfort, Kentucky, where 
he arrived about the beginning of December. He was receiv- 
ed by the warm hearted citizens of this place with a kindness 
and distinction the most gratifying; and on the 26th he was in- 
vited by them to partake of a public entertainment, given ex- 
pressly with a view to show their sense of his eminent services. 
At this entertainment, the disdnguishing ' toast* was : ' Our 
welcome guest. Commodore Barney — so long as bravery shall 
constitute a trait in the American character, so; long will his fame 
rank high in the annals of his country.' It was echoed by every 
individual present with enthusiastic acclamations, and each man 
seemed to feel a personal pride in making the welcome his own. 
The Commodore, though altogether unskilled in the art of ' ta- 
ble oratory,' was spurred by his grateful feelings to attempt a 
reply, which, we think, not only deserves to be remembered, but 
is worthy of all imitation, not less from its Spartan brevity than 
for the noble spirit of its sentiments — ' Gentlemen ! ' said he, 
' The honor which you have just conferred on me, claims my 
sincere thanks ! It is the only reward a republican soldier should 
ask. — That independence which I contributed to establish in 
the revolution, and to maintain in the late war, I am ready to 
support with the last drop of my blood.' 

Four days after he had been thus honored by the hospitable 
and patriotic citizens of Frankfort, the members of the State 



^286 



MEMOIR OF 



Legislature, which was then in session, offered him the same 
mark of welcome, in the name of their constituents at large '; 
and on the 30ih he was again the distinguished guest at a public 
dinner, at which most of the members, of both Houses^ were 
present. The ' toasts' on this occasion, which are reported in 
the newspapers of the day, all breathe a spirit of devoted pat- 
riotism, and evince that generous disposition, which is always 
to be found among a brave and independent people, to give 
'honor to whom honor is due.' Among others was the follow- 
ing : — ' Commodore Barney, our gallant guest — Two wars, 
the land and the ocean, bear witness that he is a patriot and a 
soldier.' — If it should be thought that the reply of the guest 
to this flattering sentiment, smacked a little too much of the 
' play of battle,' we offer as some palliation of the fault, that it 
was made after many a previous bumper had travelled its un- 
sparing round. We copy his ' speech' on the occasion from 
Niles's Register — ' Gentlemen ! — The testimony of respect 
which you have this day given, is doubly dear to me, as com- 
ing from the legislature of Kentucky. I had the good fortune 
to be in seventeen battles during the revolution, in all of which 
the star-spangled banner triumphed over the bloody cross, and 
in the late war I had the honor of being engaged in nine bat- 
tles, with the same glorious result, except in the last, in which 
I was unfortunate, though not in fault. If there had been with 
me 2,000 Kentuc.kians, instead of 7,000 Marylanders, Wash- 
ington City would not have been sacked, nor our country dis- 
graced. — If my arrangements shall permit, it is my intention 
to become a citizen of Kentucky — and when I die, I know 
that my bones will repose among congenial spirits.' 

The members of the legislature of Kentucky did not con- 
tent themselves with this extra official act of hospitality, but re- 
newed it in a more memorable form, by introducing in their 
assembled legislative capacity the following preamble and reso- 
lution, which were passed unanimously : — 

' The arrival of Commodore Joshua Barney in Kentucky, at 
this time, revives in our recollection the distinguished services 
of that gallant officer, during the late war, and particularly at 
Bladensburg — Wherefore 

' Resolved, by the legislature of Kentucky, That the military 
conduct and achievements of that gentleman during the late 
war, and on the aforesaid memorable occasion, deserves, and 
has, the admiration of the legislature of Kentucky.'* 

* Niles's Register, Vol. XI. p. 407. 



COMMODORE BARNEY. 287 

Thus kindly and hospitably treated at Frankfort, by all classes 
of its citizens, we need not be surprised that the Commodore 
delayed his departure from that place for several weeks, nor 
that he, and the ladies of his family, received the most 
1817 favorable impressions of the State, in which he had al- 
ready decided to fix his future residence. He was but 
ill provided, however, for the many large drafts which were made 
upon his purse by his long continuance in this western capital. 
Having calculated simply upon the expenses of travelling in his 
usual mode of rapidity, the cost of remaining so long stationary 
at a tavern, was of course an extra item, which had escaped 
consideration. But in addition to the heavy expense of board- 
ing a family in a city hotel, the Commodore met with several 
demands upon him here, the existence of which had not en- 
tered his mind when he left home. — It seems, that, some time 
in the course of the summer, having received information that 
a number of persons had settled upon his lands, who would very 
soon have it in their power to bid him defiance, under the pro- 
visions of the ' Act of Limitations,' unless some legal steps were 
promptly taken to eject them, he had given orders to have the 
proper writs issued against them from the federal court, and 
had probably never thought of the circumstance again, until it 
was now brought to his recollection in the disagreeable shape 
of bills for ' fees,' from the Marshal, Clerk, and Attorney. 
These officers had immediately executed their several portions 
of his order for the writs, and now required — as men of the 
law are everywhere wont to do — prompt payment for their 
services. The necessity of complying with these demands — 
and everybody knows that law-fees are not generally ' trifles' 
— so reduced his funds, that, as he expressed it in a letter to 
one of his sons, he was ' run ashore, and obliged to make a 
borrow,' to enable him to pursue his journey to Louisville. 
The sum which he borrowed, however, must have been small, 
as we find it nearly exhausted by the time he reached Louis- 
ville, from which place he wrote thus to his son Louis, on the 
5th January. — ' Finding my cash would not hold out for what 
was yet to be done, I drew upon you yesterday for ^300 at 10 
days, which 1 beg you will meet — the ^300, I have to receive 
(due 1st this month) for my six months' 'pension* shall be 
transferred to you to pay it.' — Upon the prospect of accomplish- 

* A pension of six hundred dollars per annum had been granted him by 
Congress, from the 1st of May, 1815. This pension was, after his death, 
renewed to his widow for ten years, and is, we believe, still continued to 
her. 



288 MEMOIR OF 

ing the object ot his journey, he wrote in high spirits — ' I feel 
hold,^ says he, ' as to the recovery of my lands, which will be a 
large estate to me yet — my titles are the best on record, and 
the boundaries good. — May-term, I hope, will settle the busi- 
ness to my satisfaction.' 

He left Louisville on the day after the date of this letter, and 
proceeded directly to Elizabeth, in the neighborhood of which 
his lands were situated. Arrived here, he very soon discovered 
that he had been too sanguine in his hopes of an easy and 
speedy settlement of the difficulties, which must always attend 
the taking possession of land after it has been suffered to re- 
main for thirty years without an apparent owner. As the mea- 
sures he was compelled to pursue, furnish a somewhat curious 
example of the carelessness of original grantors and grantees 
in defining the limits of their western lands, we shall endeavor 
to give them as much in detail as his several letters to his sons, 
while engaged in the occupancy, will enable us. The original 
grant and survey of ' Barbor and Banks.' which constituted his 
claim, being well known to all the settlers in the county, he 
found no difficulty in discovering the location of his tract, which 
he proceeded to visit without delay. Many of the best parts of 
it were occupied, and in some instances, by very respectable 
families, who had purchased and setded under what they sup- 
posed to be good and sufficient tides. Such persons upon 
being made sensible, by a comparison of their title deeds with 
the original grants produced by the Commodore, vei-y readily 
agreed to a compromise by which possession was secured to 
them ; but others refused to listen to any terms whatever, and 
determined to put him to the expense and trouble of making 
good his tide in law. It thus became necessary for him to es- 
tablish his boundary lines, and a number of surveyors were 
imm.ediately employed to ascertain and measure them. But 
here a difficulty occurred at the threshold, which threatened 
for some time to impede all his efforts to establish a claim to the 
occupied farms. The beginning could not be ascertained ; 
no person on the land seemed to be sufficiently acquainted 
with its position to give the requisite information ; and some of 
them added to his vexation, by declaring that if they knew they 
would rather destroy all traces of it than point it out to the 
surveyors. 

In this perplexity, the Commodore resorted to the expedient 
of offering a reward of one hundred dollars to any one who 
should designate the spring and the trees, which the survey 
called for as the place of beginning. This advertisement, in a 



COMMODORE BARNEY. 289 

little while, brought before him an old hunter, who said he 
thought he could conduct him to the very spot — he was not 
very positive, but it was his impression that the spring called 
for, had been for many years a deer-lick, and ' if I am not mis- 
taken,' continued the old man, ' I have killed many a deer 
upon the spot.' The offered services of the old hunter were 
accepted, as a guide ; and the Commodore and his surveyors, 
attended by a number of the settlers on his lands, set forth in 
search of the desired spring. After pursuing a small deer-path 
for many miles, through a wild and dreary forest, the old hunt- 
er at length slopped at the foot of a steep and rugged precipice, 
and pointing to a stream of water that gushed from its sides, 
pronounced it to be the spring in question. Its position, how- 
ever, and the surrounding scenery, differed so much from the 
description in the survey, that all present declared him to be 
wrong, and the Commodore began to think that he had been 
employed purposely to lead him astray. The hunter persisted 
in asserting the correctness of his memory — he had been 
present when the original survey was made — ' and there,' said 
he, after looking around with the keen eye of an experienced 
woodsman, ' are the trees which 1 helped to notch!' — The 
trees thus indicated stood upon the brink of the precipice im- 
mediately over the spring, but upon recurring to the record, 
it^vas observed that their relative position as it regarded the 
spring, did not at all correspond with the terms of the call in 
that instrument. Vexed at being so much doubted and con- 
tradicted, by men who knew nothing of the localities, the old 
man at last said, he did not care what their paper* might say, 
but he would take his oath those were the very trees from 
which the surveyors started to run out Barbour and Banks' 
grant, and if they would cut into them deep enough, he was 
sure they would find the notches and other marks which had 
been put upon them at that time. It was with no very strong 
reliance upon the assurances of the hunter, that the surveyors 
began at length to cut into the bodies of the trees, but their 
labor was soon rewarded by the discovery of the identical 
marks so minutely described in the patent ; and what served 
still further to confirm the identity of the trees, was, that as 
each year's growth of the trees was readily distinguished, their 
sum corresponded exactly with the number of years since the 
survey had been made. There was no longer a doubt in the 
mind of any body, and the old hunter was made happy in the 
possession of the promised reward. 

The beginning having been thus fortunately established, the 
25 



290 



MEMOIR OF 



surveyors proceeded forthwith to run the courses and distances 
of the tract. As in most of the grants of the period, the land 
\vas comprised in a parallelogram, there were of course but 
four lines to run, and the task was looked upon as already more 
than half accomplished ; but after running the distance called 
for in the first course, they sought in vain for the boundary, 
from which they were to take their departure on the second 
course — it was nowhere to be found. This was another, and 
an unexpected perplexity from which there seemed to be no 
escape. But as it was well known, that distances were not 
always accurately measured, one of the surveyors proposed to 
continue the course, (in which it was impossible they could be 
mistaken,) until they either discovered the second call, or 
had passed beyond all reasonable limits of error in the distance. 
The Commodore agreed to this advice, almost in despair, and 
they continued to drag the chain over many a lengthened rood, 
until to the surprise of all, and the great delight of the ' Pat- 
roon,^ they ' hit the mark.' The second and third lines vi'ere 
run without difficulty, and the fourth established the correctness 
of the whole, by bringing them to the exact point from which 
they had started. By the calculations from this measurement, 
it was ascertained, that the contents of the survey, exceeded 
the original grant to Barbour and Banks, by nearly twenty 
thousand acres. The most expeiienced surveyor, however, 
and the old hunter, were at no loss to account for the excess in 
the actual quantity contained within the lines — they stated, 
that, at the period of the first survey, that part of the country 
was still thickly inhabited by the Indians, whom it was not al- 
ways safe for the surveying parties to meet ; the chain carriers 
moved under a constant dread of being attacked, and distances 
were consequently but very imperfectly ascertained. They 
thought it unquestionable, that the original grant was designed 
to convey all the land contained within certain specified lines ; 
as these lines were now established beyond the possibility of 
controversy, and there existed no doubt as to the accuracy with 
which their several lengths had just been measured, it followed, 
they said, that the Commodore was fairly and legitimately en- 
titled to the benefit resulting from that accuracy — and ' all 
that could be said about it was, that he had made a better bar- 
gain than he thought of! ' — This was probably sound reason- 
ing, valid alike in law and equity — at least it was not for him 
who would be so much benefited by acquiescence in it, to find 
objections to its force, though we are persuaded that Commo- 
dore Barney would have been one of the last men in the world 



COMMODORE BARNEY. 



291 



to claim anything to which he had not a fair title, or to profit 
by a mistake to the injury of another's interests. In this case, 
it seemed to be very clear that nobody would be injured — the 
original grantees had transferred their right in a tract of land, 
for more or less, as the same had been conveyed to them : if 
the term grant be used in its rigid sense, they of course paid 
nothing; but if it be used, as we believe it sometimes is to 
signify an original deed, and they paid something, it is very 
certain that they did not pay for more land than they received, 
and would therefore have no more right to profit by the excess 
than their own transferree; — and as to the OY\^ina.] projjrietor 
— whether the term be applied to the King of England, or to 
his lieutenant in the colony — every body knows the easy terras 
upon which he acquired the ' right of property' over the track- 
less forests of this continent. — At all events, every body con- 
cerned, seemed to be satisfied with the result of the survey, 
and the Commodore returned from his wearisome undertaking 
in much better spirits than had accompanied him in entering 
upon it. 

Having thus happily accomplished one very important object 
of his present visit to Kentucky, he made another effort to bring 
the unauthorized settlers upon his land'toa compromise; and as 
the objections of most of them had been removed by the sur- 
vey, he was gratified to find them now more willing to comply 
with his very reasonable demands. He entered into arrange- 
ments with them for their permanent occupation of the respec- 
tive farms they had settled, upon satisfactory terms, and then 
prepared to return once more to Maryland. He was now the 
undisputed proprietor of more than fifty thousand acres of 
valuable land, situated in the vicinity of a flourishing town, in 
one of the finest States of the Union, and he had some right 
to look forward to the enjoyment of ease and independence for 
the rest of his days, with the certainty of leaving his finnily, 
should they survive him, the amplest means of subsistence and 
comfort. 



CHAPTER XIX . 

Commodore B. returns to the retirement of his farm on Elk Ridge : — prepares 
for his removal to the West. — Death of the Naval Officer at Baltimore. — 
Commodore B. is appointed to ihe vacant office : — removes with his family 
to Baltimore : — constitutes his son William his Deputy. — Reflection on 
his appointment. — He makes another visit to Kentucky: — accomplishee 
his arrangements for removal thither: — disposes of his Elk Ridge farm. — 
Last interview with his son William — ' British influence' defined. — He 
leaves Baltimore with all his family. — Detention at Brownsville. — He em- 
barks for Pittsburg : — his illness — Death — and character. 

The homeward journey of the Commodore and his family, 
though necessarily slow and fatiguing, was unattended by any 
of the exciting incidents that marked his progress towards the 
West. It was the loveliest season of the year, the weather was 
delightful, and the spirits of the litde party partook of the 
cheerfulness and joy that everywhere smiled around them. 
They had made many friends during their sojourn at Elizabeth, 
and they looked forward to the period of their return to take up 
a permanent abode among them, with the most pleasing antici- 
pations. — On his arrival at Baltimore, he took time only to 
visit and greet his children, all of whom with their several fami- 
lies were settled in that city, and then retired immediately to the 
privacy of his farm on Elk Ridge, where he devoted the whole 
of his time to domestic concerns. During this quiet period, 
he enjoyed the most vigorous health, and rarely complained of 
any inconvenience from his wound, except that, as he used 
laughingly to say, it served him sometimes the purpose of a ba- 
rometer, to indicate the changes of wind and weather. 

He remained in his retirement, busied in directing the vari- 
ous arrsngements for his intended removal to Kentucky, until 
the beginning of November, when he received from his old friend, 
President Monroe, the appointment of Naval Officer in the 
Customs at Baltimore — a post which had just become vacant 
by the death of a fellow-soldier of the revolution, Colonel Na- 
thaniel Ramsay. Had such an office been bestowed upon 



MEMOIR OF COMMODORE BARNEY. 



293 



him two years before, tbere is no doubt he would have aban- 
doned every other design, and devoted himself exclusively to the 
administration ot its concerns ; but other views had now taken 
possession of his mind, and though he accepted the office, — 
which he regarded at once as a merited reward for his many 
arduous services, and an honorable mark of the President's 
continued friendship and esteem — it was only because he fan- 
cied it barely possible that some unforeseen interruption might 
occur to the completion of his Western scheme. He repaired 
to Baltimore without delay, and having complied with the usual 
formalities of entering upon office, he immediately appointed 
his son. Major William B. Barney, his Deputy, and consigned 
to him all the active duties of the station. There was nothing 
in the nature of these duties that rendered his personal attention 
indispensable; and, as he took care to secure the authority and 
approbation of the executive, for entrusting them to a Deputy 
— whose capacity for business he knew to be superior to his 
own, and whose fidelity he could rely on with the most implicit 
confidence — no reproach could justly attach to him for ac- 
cepting the office. He did not, however, neglect any act of 
supervision which the laws required, and for several months, he 
attended with great regularity at his desk, ready for any call 
that might be made upon his personal services. The venerable 
chief of the custom-house had been his revolutionary associate, 
a passenger with him in the first voyage he had made in his 
prize ship, the ' General Monk ' and never did two braver 
spirits or more incorruptible patriots meet together in official 
connexion. 

In the succeeding month of April, the state of his private afiairs 
made it necessary for him to undertake another journey to 
1818 Kentucky, and he obtained from the proper authorities a 
regular leave of absence for that purpose. On this occa- 
sion, he travelled alone, and pursuing the most direct route to the 
town of Elizabeth, arrived there some time in May. He lost 
no time in giving completion to those arrangements which had 
required his presence, and having exchanged a portion of his 
lands for a spacious and comfortable dwelling-house in the vil- 
lage, — the titles to which, unfortunately, he did not take suffi- 
cient pains to examine — he returned to Baltimore, where he 
arrived early in July. He resumed immediately his official at- 
tendance, if not his official duties, at the custom-house, it being 
his design to retain the office, until he should be finally settled 
in his adopted State, and then to resign it vi^ith an expression of 
his grateful acknowledgments to the President for having be- 
25* 



294 MEMOIR OP 

Stowed it. Tn the meantime, tlie preparations for the depart- 
ure of his family, and the necessity of winding up all his affairs 
in Maryland, kept him husy until late in the autumn. At 
length, however, having found a purchaser for his Elk Ridge 
farm, and obtained another leave of absence from the Treasury 
Department, he was ready to set out with all the adjuncts of final 
emigration — his servants, stock, horses, and such articles of 
household furniture as could be conveniently transported. 

He left Baltimore on this last and fatal journey, late in Octo- 
ber, intending to proceed to Brownsville, in Pennsylvania, where 
he hoped to find a ready conveyance down the Ohio to Pittsburg. 
After he was seated in the carriage with his family, and just about 
to drive off, his son William — perhaps with a presentiment that 
he should never see him again — went up to the door of the 
carriage, and in a half whisper to his father, that he might not be 
heard by the ladies, expressed a wish, if the Commodore should 
die before him, that he would leave orders to have him ])ut in 
possession of the ' ounce of British injluence he had labored 
under, ever since the battle of Bladensburg !' — The Commo- 
dore laughed and turning to his wife, said, ' Do you hear that, 
my dear ?• — whenever 1 die, remember that you are to have this 
cursed ball extracted from my thigh, and sent to the Major, to- 
gether with the sword presented to me by the city of Washing- 
ton.' — These articles, as well as the sword he wore at Bladens- 
burg, and a pair of highly finished, ancient Scotch belt pistols, 
of wrought steel, inlaid with silver, are now in the possession of 
his eldest son. The pistols were presented to the Commodore 
during the war of the revolution, by a gentleman of Scotland who 
had espoused the rebel cause, by the name of Holkar, with 
the injunction that if he should ever have a son who proved to be 
' as good a rebel' as himself, they should be transferred to him. 

From Brownsville, he wrote a long letter to his son Louis, 
on the 9ih of November, from which we extract a few para- 
graphs, not only as furnisliing a better description than we could 
otherwise give of the disappointments and difficulties he was com- 
pelled to encounter, but as showing bis opinions upon certain 
grave subjects, which will continue to divide the political and re- 
ligious world, perhaps, until the day of final doom. The reader 
will perceive also, from the manner in which he speaks of his 
health, how little his children and friends in Baltimore could be 
prepared for the distressing accounts which so speedily followed 
from the same quarter. After giving some instructions as to the 
disposition of certain articles of ladies' apparel which he had 
left behind him, and referring to further directions to be given 



COMMODORE BARNES. 



295 



on his arrival in Kentucky, he adds : — ' but I have ray doubts, 
and serious ones too, whether I shall get there this winter — 
there is no water in the river ; all the goods that have been sent 
out for the last six weeks, are still here and at Pittsburg. — I 
am here at tavern expenses, which will ruin me if kept up much 
longer. — I shall look out for the wardrobe; it ought to be here 
to day or tomorrow. 

' The weather is fine, indeed ! and not the least appearance 
of rain, so that I am losing my patience very fast, as well as my 
money ! 

' I am firmly persuaded that the ban]{s will ruin every man 
that dips into them — I never could bring myself to think well 
of them, or of those that depend upon them. 

' We are all in good health — I have not had any pain in my 
thigh, since my journey to Washington in the stage ! 

' I shall write again to let you know when we start down the 
river. — Give our kind love to all, and tell ***** not to de- 
spair about the peivs * — his religion will soon be the only one 
worth attention ; the times will bring people to reason, and rea- 
son is his creed ! ' 

Notwithstanding the promise to ' write again,' it appears that 
this was the last letter ever received from the Commodore, who 
was probably kept too busy in his preparations until the moment 
of embarkation, and then thought it better to postpone writing 
until his arrival at Pittsburg. In a few days after the date of 
this letter, he succeeded in procuring a boat — which, however, 
he was obliged to purchase — and having fitted up a temporary 
cabin in her for the accommodation of his family, and put on 
board his goods of every description, he at length took his de- 
parture from Brownsville. The extreme lowness of the wa- 
ter, rendered the navigation of the river almost impracticable, 
and created so many obstacles to his progress, that he was nearly 
three weeks in accomplishing the short passage betu^een Browns- 
ville and Phtsburg. The fatigue to which he exposed himself 
during this passage, and the anxiety under which he labored for 
the safety and comfort of his family, brought on, before the 

* The reader would perhaps hardly he able to comprehend this consolatory 
message, without a word of explanation — A new church had then just been 
erected in Baltimore, under the name of the ' First Independent Church of 
Baltimore,' or, as one of its own ' deacons' facetiously called it, as well in 
allusion to its situation, it being; vis-a-vis to the Roman Catholic Cathedral, 
as to its doctrines, which were Unitarian,' The Opposition Line /' It was built 
chiefiy by the subscription of a few individuals, who looked to be repaid in 
part lor their advances, by the sale of the Pews — which were probably for 
some time ' a dull article' in the market. 



296 



MEMOIR OF 



end of the second week, a violent attack of bilious fever, which 
in a kw days, however, seemed so far abated, that he thought 
himself convalescent, or at least endeavored to persuade his fam- 
ily to believe so, by assuring them, that there was no cause for 
apprehension. — ' I shall be well again in a day or two !' he re- 
plied to their anxious inquiries and looks of alarm. It was dur- 
ing this short interval of apparent convalescence, that he arrived 
at Pittsburg, but was unable to leave his boat. A physician 
was called to him immediately after his arrival, to whom he com- 
plained of pain in the back and sore throat, for which a blister 
was ordered. This was on Thursday, the 26th of November ; 
on Friday he remained in bed all day, and suffered under a 
difficulty of speaking, occasioned by the increased soreness of 
his throat. On Sunday he was pronounced to be getting better, 
and on Monday was so much recovered as to be able to sit up 
for a short time — that night, he was seized, on a sudden, with 
violent spasms in the wounded limb, which recurred at short 
intervals throughout the night. On the morning of Tuesday, 
the 1st of December, he sat up and bathed his feet: immedi- 
ately after returning to bed, another spasm seized him, which 
lasted but for a moment, but in that moment his gallant spirit 
returned to Him who had given it. — Thus died this patriot hero 
at the age of fiftynine years and six months ! 

In obedience to his previous orders, the ball — to the effects 
of which we may safely attribute his death — was sought for 
after his demise, by the physicians who had attended him, it was 
found within a few inches of the point at which it had entered 
the thigh. It appeared to have passed just under, and grazing, 
the right hip joint, by which it was flattened and its direction chang- 
ed so as to bring it down the inside of the thigh, where it proba- 
bly remained for several months, until, by the Commodore's fre- 
quent exercise on horseback, it was gradually forced back along 
the channel which itself had made towards the point of entrance. 
The experienced in such matters, who have seen the ball, pro- 
nounce it to have been discharged from a rifle — a fact which 
may serve to settle the disputed question among the British sol- 
diers, to which corps belonged the honor of having brought 
down the American commander. 

His remains were interred, on the day after his decease — in 
the burial ground of the First Presbyterian church, and we learn 
from the Pittsburg papers of the day, that every class of citizens 
united in paying honor to the occasion. ' Although he died 
among strangers, yet his fellow-citizens were not strangers to his 
distinguished worth and services. The manner in which the 



COMMODORE BARNEY. 



297 



last sad rites were performed to his memory, and the immense 
concourse which attended on the occasion, mournfully evinced 
the high interest they felt in witnessing the departure of another 
of the revolutionary heroes.'* Another paper of the same place 
says : ' Every respect was shown to the memory of this gallant 
and celebrated officer, which times and circumstances would 
admit of. As one of the heroes of the Revolution, he was be- 
loved and respected ; and, as the champion of Bladensburg, he 
was everywhere received with enthusiasm. 'f 

We will not attempt to paint the distress of his widow, and 
that part of his family who had accompanied him, thus suddenly 
bereaved of a beloved protector and friend, in a land of entire 
strangers. The heart of sensibility will readily conceive the 
depth of grief into which they must have been plunged. — As 
soon after the mournful ceremony of interment as circumstances 
would permit, Mrs Barney continued her voyage down the river 
to Louisville, and thence proceeded by land to the home which 
had been provided for her at Elizabeth, and which she had so 
lately hoped to occupy under happier auspices. Here, however, 
she was not suffered to remain long undisturbed — difficulties 
were created as to the validity of the titles under which the ex- 
change of property had been made, and she preferred to give up 
the house at once, to the alternative of engaging in a law-suit. 
She accordingly returned to Louisville, where she still resides, 
esteemed and respected by all who know her. 

A monument was subsequently erected, at the expense of 
the widow, under the tasteful direction of James Riddle, Esq., 
of Pittsburg, composed of a plain marble slab, resting upon a 
granite base, and supported by six handsomely turned pillars, or 
balusters, of the same material. It is unostentatious, but neat 
and durable ; and a plain and simple inscription tells the specta- 
tor, upon whose earthly habitation it is that he stands to gaze. 

The melancholy intelligence of his death reached Baltimore 
on the 7th of December; and at an extra session of the City 
Councils, held shortly afterwards, the following Resolution was 
passed, which will serve to show the respect entertained for his 
memory by his native City : — 

' Resolved, ly the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore^ 
That the Mayor, and Presidents of the two branches, be, and 
they are hereby, authorized and requested to employ Mr Rem- 
brandt Peale to execute, from the best likeness that can be oh- 

* Pittsburg Mercury. t Pittsburg Statesman, 



298 



MEMOIR OF 



tained in this City, a portrait of our late gallant and distinguished 
fellow citizen, Commodore Joshua Barney ; and that the 
said portrait be placed in the chamb<3r of the first branch, as a 
testimony of respect for his memory and gratitude for his patri-. 
otic services.' 

A few day previous to his first departure from Baltimore, in 
April, the Commodore executed a Will, by which he bequeath- 
ed the dwelling-house and ground attached thereto, in the town 
of Elizabeth, Kentucky, five thousand acres of land in Harden 
County, his slaves, furniture, horses, carriages, plate, and all the 
rest of his property real, personal or mixed, not otherwise de- 
vised by the said Will, to his wife, Harriet Barney — subject to 
certain contingencies, in the event of her contracting another 
marriage : — five thousand acres of land, being part of the same 
tract, to his daughter Mrs Caroline Williams: — five thousand 
acres, to Anna Maria Coale, his wife's sister : — one thousand 
acres to his neice Elizabeth Young : — and the residue of his lands 
to be equally divided among his grandchildren, the offspring of 
William, Louis, and John Barney, and Caroline Williams. Of 
these residuary legatees, however, we have reason to believe 
that not one has derived, or is likely to derive, the slightest bene- 
fit from the bequest. The titles to the lands, which were 
{bought so indisputable in the lifetime of flie testator, have since 
become the subjects of tedious and expensive lawsuits, which 
will probably end in swallowing up their whole value. 



Could we be vain and confident enough to persuade ourself, 
that due justice had been done to our subject in the foregoing 
pages, we might here consider our task as finished, and throv/ 
down the pen — leaving it to every reader to exercise his own 
judgment in giving such a character to the life we have exhibit- 
ed, as the materials before him might seem to justify. But we 
are sufficiently conscious of our numerous deficiencies, in a 
branch of composuion entirely new to us, to be convinced, that 
we ought to follow the example of the humble sign-painter — 
who thought it necessary to write under his picture of the king 
of the forest, ' this is a lion' — by winding up our labors with 
an explicit enunciation of the character we intended — but may 
have failed — ■ to portray. 

An occasion has heretofore presented itself, in the course of 



COMMODORE BARNEV, 



299 



the narrative, to speak of the personal appearance of Commo- 
dore Barney ; and we might, perhaps, deem it sufficient to re- 
fer the reader to the English Proclamation, — in which a price 
was set upon his head, and which was shouted forth, at the 
sound of the bell, by the town-crier of Plymouth, so much to 
tlie alarm of his friends — were it not, that the description there 
given, did not serve to identify him, in the opinion of the senti- 
nel, who examined him on that occasion with great strictness, 
and suffered him to pass as not at all resembling the advertised 
deserter from Mill Prison. We may therefore suppose, either 
that his enemies were not faithful painters, or that they did not 
regard the subject as worthy of their best efforts ; and in either 
case, it becomes our duty to supply their omissions. — In his 
stature, Commodore Barney, perhaps, rather fell short of, than 
exceeded, what is generally understood by the ' middle size ;' 
but his form was a model of perfect symmetry, combining in a 
remarkable degree the close knit, muscular strength and vigor 
of an Ajax, with the graceful proportions of an Antinous. His 
forehead, nose, and mouth, vVere of the finest Grecian mould ; 
his eyes a sparkling black — full, liquid, and so peculiarly ex- 
pressive, that, to those who knew him well, language was scarce- 
ly necessary to interpret die various emotions that rapidly suc- 
ceeded each other in his mind. When excited, there was a 
iightning-like splendor in the corruscations of his glance, that 
few persons could meet without perturbation. Upon the whole, 
his features were strikingly handsome ; and the general air of 
his countenance, when not disturbed by any moving passion, 
was eminently benignant and prepossessing. In his dress, he 
was scrupulously attentive to neatness and propriety ; in his 
manners, he was graceful, easy, courteous, and pohshed. — 
Having, in his early life, received nothing more than the rudi- 
ments of a common English education ; and having been, al- 
most from the moment of quitting school, constantly employed 
in the active and laborious duties of his profession, it could 
hardly be expected, that his acquirements should be very ex- 
tensive, or very various. But, though the fondest partiality of 
friendship may not ascribe to him the elegant accomplishments 
of a scholar, it may with great justice be said of him, that few 
men were ever more profoundly versed in those branches of 
science, the knowledge of which is indispensable to the attain- 
ments of eminence in the nautical profession. His arithmeti- 
cal proficiency, which formed his boast when a boy, served as 
a foundation which enabled him afterwards, with comparatively 
little labor, to pursue the more abstruse branches of mathemat- 



300 



MEMOIR OP 



ics, astronomy, geography, and navigation, with great success. 
These, it will be allowed, are studies, the mastery of which 
evidences the possession of an intellect capable of receiving the 
highest order of cultivation — and such, we are convinced, 
under other circumstances, would have been found to be the 
capacity which nature had bestowed upon him. In addition to 
these professional attainments — for which he was indebted to 
his own unguided assiduity — he possessed a respectable ac- 
quaintance with history and politics ; and there were few com- ■ 
mon topics of conversation, in the discussion of which he could 
not bear an equal share, with credit to himself. His concep- 
tion was quick and penetrating, and his conclusion once formed, 
there was seldom much interval between decision and action. 
If his opinions were sometimes formed with too little delibera- 
tion, he was never too obstinate to perceive and acknowledge 
their error, the moment his judgment detected the fallacy- But 
it was only in matters of minor importance, that he ever per- 
mitted himself to act without the sanction of his judgment: it 
was rare, indeed, where the lives or interests of others were 
staked upon his conduct, to find him wanting, either in concep- 
tion or execution. — His temperament was enthusiastic and ar- 
dent — qualities, which carried him forward in whatever he 
undertook, with an energy and diligence of application, that no 
dangers or difficulties could divert from its object. In his dis- 
position, he was kind, affectionate, humane, and charitable. 
Punctilious in his notions of honor, incorruptible in his integrity, 
no mean or sordid feeling ever found even a momentary habita- 
tion in his bosom, which was emphatically the abiding-place of 
every noble, generous, and manly virtue. As a naval com- 
mander, in peace or war, in the strife, or serenity, of the ele- 
ments, he had no superior, for prudence, skill, or courage. In 
the face of an enemy, entire self-possession, heroic daring, and 
fearless intrepidity, were his acknowledged characteristics — 

' But, the battle once ended — ' 

the conquered foe found in him a sympathizing brother, a kind and 
tender nurse, ready to pour the healing balsam into the wounds 
he had made, whether of the body or spirit. In the cause of 
suffering humanity, at all times, and under all circumstances, 
his heart, his hand, and his purse, were alike ready to extend 
the relief of sympathy, service, and money. The meanest 
beggar never appealed to his charity in vain. — He was a pa- 
triot, in the noblest sense of the term, in principle, sentiment, 
and conduct. As a friend, he was zealous, sincere, and faith- 



COMMODORE BAENEY, 301 

ful ; as a neighbor, kind, obliging, and social ; as a companion, 
frank, cheerful, and entertaining. In his family circle, he was 
beloved with entire devotion — a fact which in itself, consti- 
tutes the highest eulogy, that could be pronounced on his charac- 
ter, in the several relations of domestic life. Those who had 
once served under his command — strict as he was in the en- 
forcement of the most rigid discipline and subordination — 
were always ready to offer their services a second time, and 
to look upon their acceptance as a proud distinction. His in- 
feriors and dependants, of every class, revered and loved him 
with a sincerity of attachment that nothing but death could 
have dissolved. — Such was the character of Joshua Barney. 
If, in this delineation, we have avoided bringing into view any 
of the failings, from which, as a human being, he could not 
have been exempt, it is not because we have desired to represent 
him as a ' fauUless monster' — but because those, whom they 
most nearly concerned, and who alone could have been injured 
by them, were prompt to forgive and forget them, in the con- 
templation of his nobler qualities. 



APPENDIX 



NO. I. — p. 112. 

'The depredations upon the commerce of Philadelphia, com- 
mitted in the Bay and River Delaware, by the armed ships of Bri- 
tain, andby picaroon privateers, fitted out at New York, led to a 
petition from the merchants and traders of the city, to the legis- 
lature of the State praying for the adoption of measures to 
protect their property ; and in pursuance thereof, a law was 
passed on the 9th April, 1782, appointing Francis Gurney, John 
Patton, and William Allibone, commissioners to purchase, man, 
and equip suitable vessels for the purpose, which armament, in 
whole or in part, was to be kept in service so long during the 
existence of the war as they might think necessary, or until 
otherwise directed by the General Assembly. The funds to 
provide for the expense of this armament, were, 1st, the mon- 
eys arising from the tonnage of vessels. 2. The moneys arising 
from the impost on foreign goods ; but as these funds might be 
insufficient to defray the expense of the armament, so speedily 
as was requisite, and the merchants and traders having signified 
their willingness to submit to a further impost on the importa- 
tion of goods for this important object, additional duties were 
imposed upon imported goods equal to those which were made 
payable by the act of December, 1780. Tvventyfive thousand 
pounds were appropriated for the armament, and the commission- 
er's were authorized to borrow to that amount on the faith of the 
State funds and commercial revenue, and to draw from the col- 
lector, from time to time, the moneys arising from the duties 
pledged, and to apply them to the repayment of the sum bor- 



304 



APPENDIX. 



rowed. By a supplement to the act, passed a few days after 
the first, the commissioners were authorized to borrow any ad- 
ditional sums they might deem necessary, not exceeding twen- 
tyfive thousand pounds ; and it was further enacted, that "what- 
ever proportion of prize money shall become due to the State 
by means of captures made by the armament, shall be paid into 
the hands of the commissioners, to be used and accounted for 
as they are directed to use and account for other moneys appro- 
priated to raise and support the said armament." — As the 
state of affairs did not admit of the delay attending upon the 
passage of the law,* the merchants anticipated the expected 
assistance from the State, and by loans from the Bank of 
North America, on their individual responsibility, purchased 
and equipped a ship in March, 1782, and on the recommenda- 
tion of Mr Daniel Smith, Secretary to the Commissioners, the 
command was given to Lieutenant Barn^. She sailed in the 
beginning of April following, and returned in three days, or at 
most four,f with the prize, the General Monk. J On the 23d 
April, the commissioners recommended to the Executive Coun- 
cil. of Pennsylvania to purchase the prize-ship, General Monk, 
and they were authorized to do so : and on the 16th May, Cap- 
tain Barney was commissioned by the council her commander. 
The minute of the council states his age to be 25 years, (he 
was not 23 until July of that year). From the minutes of the 
council it appears that on the 20th May, 1782, an order was 
drawn in favor of Edward Milne, for the sum of seventyfive 
pounds specie for procuring the sword; and on the 31st July 
following, another order for £50, was drawn on the same account.' 
Letter to Mrs Mary Barney from Dr Mease of Philadelphia, 
dated Sd January, 1832. , 



NO. II. — p. 115. 

' Charleston surrendered on the 12th of May, 1780 ; and before 
the year concluded, Admiral Arbuthnot made Mr Rogers a 

* 'The law appointing commissioners for the defence of the river, it is 
seen, was not passed until the day after the capture of the General Monk.' 
JV*o<e to the Letter. 

t ' The ship was owned by Mr John Willcocks, and when contracted for 
had actually gone down the river, outward bound with a cargo of flour — 
and after this was landed, she was pierced for guns.' — Ibid. 

t ' The capture was made on the day she sailed, 8th April.' A. 



APPENDIX. 305 

master and commander, and gave him a sloop of 18 guns. 
This sloop had been an American privateer, named the Gener- 
al Washington ; which the Admiral, humorously enough, 
changed to the General Monk. While Capt. Rogers com- 
manded this ship, he took, or assisted in taking, more than 
sixty vessels from the enemy, though he did not command her 
above two years. His last action in her, though unsuccessful, 
did him so much credit, that it deserves to be detailed at length. 
' In the evening of the 7th of April, 1 782, as he was cruising 
off Cape Henlopen, in the Delaware, in company with a frigate, 
the Quebec, 1 believe the same frigate on board which Capt. 
Rogers died, under Capt. Mason, they discovered eight sail 
lying at anchor in Cape May road. Though diey could not 
distinguish their force, they had no doubt but they belonged to 
the enemy j and therefore anchored that night in such a Dosi- 
t!on, as to prevent their getting out to sea. In the morning 
Capt. Rogers received orders from Capt. Mason to enter 
Cape May road, to reconnoitre the enemy, and to attack them, 
or not, as he found it expedient. In the meantime, he himself 
would proceed higher up, to prevent them from running up 
the Delaware. But before Capt. Rogers could put his design 
in execution, he saw three sail standing towards him, which he 
soon found were New York privateers. This he conceived to 
be a very fortunate incident; for with the assistance of these 
privateers, he did not doubt, but he should be able to capture, 
or destroy, the whole of the enemy's squadron. 

' In the meantime, the Fair American, one of the privateers, 
joined him ; and Capt. Rogers communicating his design to 
her commander, received every promise of support. But the 
other two privateers stood aloof, and could be induced by no 
signal to join. Capt. Rogers therefore, and his consort, pro- 
ceeded up the Bay alone. About noon, the enemy discovered 
them, turning round Cape May point, and seemed to be thrown 
into great confusion. They immediately weighed anchor ; but 
manifestly appeared undetermined what to do. 

' This moment of confusion Capt. Rogers seized, and in- 
stantly bore up, and attacked them, being well seconded by the 
Fair American. A ship of 12 guns immediately struck. 
Another of the same force ran ashore, and was deserted by her 
crew. A brig and two ships made a push to enter Morris river , 
which the Fair American, endeavoring to prevent, unfortunate- 
ly ran ashore. 

' The enemy seeing this misfortune, began to take courage : 
and one of them distinguished by a broad pendant, made sig- 
26* 



306 



APPENDIX. 



nals to the rest. This ship Capt. Rogers was determined to 
attack ; and if possible to board : for as his guns were only 
caronades, he had no opinion of their strength ; and was afraid 
to trust theui in a brisk action. But when he got up to the en- 
emy, who stood towards him, he found she was so full of men, 
and so well provided with defences against boarding, that he 
was obliged to alter his plan, and to trust the event, however 
unwilingly, to a cannonade. 

' He soon however had a melancholy proof that his fears for 
his guns were too well founded. As soon as they were heated, 
they became quite unmanageable, and many of them overset ; 
by which several of the men were much bruised. The latter 
part of the action therefore was carried on in an unequal man- 
ner by musketry, against cannon. The two ships had now 
continued thus engaged half an hour, close to each other, when 
Captain Rogers, seeing his deck covered with dead, and 
wounded men, among whom were four officers, himself at the 
same time severely wounded in the foot, and unable to stand, 
and observing the enemy preparing to board, he endeavored if 
possible to get off. But his braces and running rigging were 
so cut, that he had no power over the ship. Finding therefore 
that he was unable to make any farther resistance, and seeing the 
frigate too far ofl to expect any succor from her, he was under 
the mortifying necessity of striking his colors. The misfortune 
of the day he attributed wholly to his caronades. His lieuten- 
ant and master were both killed ; his purser and boatswain 
were wounded. Of his petty officers and seamen, six were 
killed, and tvventynine wounded. These particulars are taken 
from Captain Rogers's modest [.' .'] letter to Admiral Digby, 
who commanded in those seas. 

' After the action, he and his men were carried prisoners to 
Philadelphia, where they were very humanely treated. But it 
was a moving scene to see the distresses of the men.' — Gilpin's. 
Memoirs of Capt. Rogers. 



NO. I I I . — p. 117. 

' A few days before the gallant Commodore Barney left this 
port in the private armed vessel the Rossie, again to perform 
his part in avenging and redressing the wrongs of his country, 
and we hope, to make as much money as he ivish.es, at the ex- 
pense of the enemy for himself, as we desire may be the lot of 
every American tar so engaged, he communicated the subse- 



APPENDIX. 



307 



quent anecdote to a friend, recurring to him by a conversation 
respecting the use of Marines. 

' Among the many brilliant achievements of American sea- 
men in the war to obtain independence [we are now fighting to 
preserve it] the capture of the British national ship General 
Monk, by the Hyder Ally, commanded by Capt. Barney, was 
not the least remarkable. The American was in every respect 
of inferior force, save in the spirit of her officers and crew. 
The engagement was terrible, for the Englishman fought 
bravely, and did not surrender until a very uncommon portion 
of them were killed or disabled. — For this noble victory 
Capt. Barney was much indebted to his marines,' several of 
whom had left their woods and mountains to meet the enemy 
of their country, and bring to the war their unrivalled skill in 
the use of small arms. — Among the marines was a " back- 
woodsman," who, by a certain something in his conduct, had 
often attracted the particular attention of his captain. — In the 
very hottest of the engagement, the two ships being within 
pistol shot, and every one using his utmost exertion, this man, 
two or three times, took the liberty to inquire of the captain 
" who made the musket he was using ? " As might be expected, 
from the heat and hurry of the occasion, he was treated very 
roughly for his intrusion — but being asked why he made this 
strange inquiry, he said, with the greatest sangfroid, while he 
was loading his piece, because it ivas the best smooth bore he 
ever shot with in his life ! ' — JViles^s Register, vol. ii. p. 298. 



' A gentleman who was on board the vessels after their arrival 
at Philadelphia, gives the following particulars : 

' " T was then in Philadelphia, quite a lad, when the action 
took place. Both ships arrived at the lower part of the city 
with a leading wind, immediately after the action, bringing with 
them all their killed and wounded. Attracted to the wharf by 
the salute which the Hyder Ally fired, of thirteen guns, which 
was then the custom, (one for each State) I saw the two ships 
lying in the stream, anchored near each other. In a short time, 
however, they warped in to the wharf, to land their killed and 
wounded, and curiosity induced me, as well as many others, to 
go on board each vessel. The Hyder Ally was, as stated, a 
small ship of sixteen six-pounders. The Monk, a king's ship 
of large dimensions, of eighteen nine-pounders. The differ- 
ence in the size and equipments of the two ships was matter of 
astonishment to all the beholders. The General Monk's decks 



308 



APPENDIX. 



were, in every direction, besmeared with blood, covered with 
the dead and wounded, and resembled a charnel house. 
Several of her bow posts were knocked into one ; a plain 
evidence of the well directed fire of the Hyder Ally. She 
was a king's ship, a very superior vessel, a fast sailer, and cop- 
pered to the bends. I was on board during the time they 
carried on shore the killed and wounded, which they did in 
hammocks. 

' " I was present at a conversation which took place on the 
quarter deck of the General Monk, between Captain Barney, 
and several merchants in Philadelphia. I remember one of 
them observing, ' Why, Captain Barney, you have been truly 
fortunate in capturing this vessel, considering she is so far 
superior to you in point of size, guns, men, and metal.' Yes, 
sir, he replied, I do consider myself fortunate — when we were 
about to engage, it was the opinion of myself, as well as my 
crew, that she would have blown .us to atoms ; but we were 
determined she should gain her victory dearly. One of the 
wounded British sailors observed — ' Yes, sir, Captain Rogers 
observed to our crew, a little before the action commenced, 
' Now, my boys, we shall have the Yankee ship in five minutes ;' 
and so we all thought, but here we are." ' — Rogers^s Biogra- 
phical Dictionary : Article ' Barney.' p. 43. 



NO. IV . — p. 117. 

Though there can be no possible doubt of the truth of the 
anecdote as related in the text, we deem it but an act of justice 
to the memory of a vanquished and deceased foe, to lay be- 
fore the reader the following sketch of the life and character of 
Captain Rogers, for which we are indebted to the same friendly 
source from which Note No. I. of this Appendix, was derived. 

' The memoirs of Capt. Rogers were written by the late 
eminent and Rev. Wm. Gilpin, Prebendary of Salisbury, Eng- 
land and published in 1808. — From these it appears, that Capt. 
Rogers was born at Lymington, in the year 1755, and entered the 
British Navy early in life, in the frigate Arethusa, commanded 
by the gallant Capt. Hammond, who continued to be his invari- 
ble friend to the hour of his death. — The first services of 
young Rogers were on the northern coast of the United States, 
and while thus engaged, the war between them and England 
broke out, and Capt. H. being appointed to the Roebuck of 44 
guns, carried Mr Rogers with him. In March, 1776, Capt. H. 



APPENDIX. 



309 



sent him, under his second lieutenent, in an armed tender, to 

surprise Lewes-Town within the Capes of Delaware, where 
he soon captured a sloop, hut in the end he himself became 

prisoner, owing to the treachery of his men, who uniting with 
those taken in the sloop, ran her on shore while Mr Rogers was 
asleep. — He was taken into the interior, and afterwards sent 
to Williamsburg, Virginia, then through Richmond to Char- 
lottesville, where he pleasantly spent eight months, with other 

, prisoners ; " their chief employment being to ramble among the 
woods and mountains, and to gather wild fruits and salads, 
with which they would regale themselves during the noontide 
heats on the banks of some sheltered rivulet." — In April, 
1777, they were marched to Alexandria, from which place, he 

'contrived to escape, with several others, and after undergoing 
great fatigue, during a journey of nearly 400 miles, reached 
the Delaware, where he had the happiness to find the Roebuck, 
and to be joyfully received by his kind commander and brother 
officers. He was subsequently in successful predatory expedi- 
tions, on the shores of Virginia and Maryland, and in cutting 
out several armed vessels, until the month of August, 1778, 
when the Roebuck came up the Delaware, with other ships of 
war, to bombard fort Mifflin. He afterwards distinguished him- 
self at the siege of Charleston. The wound he received in 
his engagement with the Hyder Ally, obliged him to use 
crutches for two or three years, and rendered him incapable of 
walking any distance for seven years. In the year 1787, he 
was made a post-captain, and employed upon various occasions, 
always to the satisfaction of the commander of the station ; and 
on being appointed to the Quebec frigate, assisted at the siege 
of Dunkirk, and during the whole w^ar with France was as 
useful on land as at sea. He was esteemed one of the best 
naval architects in the service ; and often consulted about pro- 
jected improvements in the fitting out of ships of war. Dur- 
ing the year 1794, he was attached to the fleet of Admiral 
Jervis, made numerous captures, and performed several acts of 
valor, particularly in the storming the forts in St Lucia, Mar- 
tinique, Guadaloupe and Cabrit, at the head of the seamen of 
the squadron under his command, in company with the military 
force of the British army. He was afterwards sent with three 
frigates to the coast of the United States to protect the English 
trade, and on his return to the West Indies, he obtained leave 
to go to England, to recruit his worn out health : — but, having 
visited St Vincents, to setde the business of his prize money, 
he received an express from the Government of Grenada', 



310 APPENDIX. 

requesting his assistance, as the French had landed, and the 
negroes were in rebellion. Everything of a private concern 
immediately gave way ; he instantly weighed anchor, and set 
sail for Grenada, where he arrived on the 6th of March, 1795, 
and was received by the terrified inhabitants as a guardian 
ano'el ; but after two months incessant duty on land and at seaj 
he fell a victim to the yellow fever, which raged as an epi- 
demic in the West Indies, on the 24th of April. The assem- 
bly of Grenada voted the erection of a monument over his re- 
mains, with a suitable inscription, expressive of their gratitude 
for the services he had rendered the island. — The example of 
Captain Rogers may be fairly held up to all naval officers, as 
highly worthy of imitation. He was, in the first place, a com- 
plete seaman, having gone through all the degrees of service 
under a strict disciplinarian ; eminently courageous, but never 
rash"; remarkably cool and present to himself, a qualification 
owing to which he never got into any difficulties with his broth- 
er officers : in every business setting the example of exertion, 
and engaging in an enterprise with his whole soul. To these 
points of character, he added great skill in his profession, and 
was acquainted with every part of it, from the minutest to the 
most important — with the quality of a rope, and the mechan- 
ism of a ship, and could steer her course with judgment as he 
could form her in a line of battle. He was equally useful in 
the domestic government of the ship, as in the conduct of her 
in battle, and was such a favorite that upon one occasion two 
admirals contended under which of them he should serve. 
No officer had more the art, than he had, of inspiring his men 
with ardor to follow him ; and as he was continually doing acts 
of kindness to them, they followed him through love as well as 
confidence. Although in war a man of fire, yet in private 
life, he called the social virtues around him, and fulfilled all 
the domestic duties attached to the character of a husband and 
father in the most exemplary manner. Finally, " he had a 
g-reat dislike to the practice of swearing in his ship, and ivould 
often tell Jiis officers and men hoiv foolish and vile a habit it 
ums.^^ — His temper was so amiable, and his conversation so 
lively, that he made friends wherever he came. Whoever had 
a voyage to take, where he was going, wished to take it with 
him. At Grenada it cannot be conceived in what esteem and 
afl:ection he was held, an(^ when he went on shore, happy was 
the family that could entertain him.' 



APPENDIX. 



311 



NO. V . — p. 118. 

' On the 13th of April, 1782, a letter directed to the com- 
missioners named in the Act for guarding and defending the 
navigation and trade in the bay and river Delaware, containing 
an account of an engagement which took place on the 8th in- 
stant in the bay, between the State ship Hyder Ally, command- 
ed by Joshua Barney, and the ship General Monk, belonging to 
the king of Great Britain, made prize by the Hyder Ally, was 
laid before the House, and read, and Mr Henry Hill, General 
Wilkinson, and Mr James McClene were oppointed a com- 
mittee, to report on the subject of said letter, and in the after- 
noon of the same day, reported the following resolutions which 
'were adopted unanimously — 

' Resolved, that this House entertain a just sense of the 
gallantry and good conduct of Captain Joshua Barney, and the 
officers, seamen and marines under his command. 

' Resolved., that the President of the Supreme Executive 
Council be requested to procure an elegant sword, bearing 
some device emblematic of the above action, and present the 
same to Captain Barney, in testimony of the favorable opinion 
Jhis House entertain of bis merit.' — [Communicated as above. 



NO. V I. — p. 127. 

Extracts from a Letter, addressed to Major William B. Barney, by a pas- 
senger in the General Washington, in reply to one of inquiry from the V 
former. '^ 

* * * * I need not mention the appointment of Captain Bar- 
ney to the command of the Hyder Ally, a ship fitted out by 
the State of Pennsylvania, for the protection of the commerce 
and shores of the Delaware bay ; with which, besides other 
services of clearing the bay and country adjacent by taking or 
destroying the piratical boats from New York, he captured, 
after a bloody action, the English ship of war General Monk. 
— Of these particulars you have full information. The ship 
being taken into the United States service, and christened the 
General Washington, was refitted, put under the command of 
Captain Barney, and despatched on an especial service to com- 
municate with Compte de Grasse, commander of the French 
squadron, who was then expected to join the Spanish fleet 
under Don Solano — and, in conjunction, to attack Jamaica. 



312 APPENDIX. 

A particular commission, dependent on the same event, was 
given to me, and about the end of April, or beginning of May, 
1782,* 1 joined the ship at Newcastle, Delaware, and she 
directly proceeded to sea. On the passage, an English brig, 
from Jamaica to England, was captured with a considerable 
cargo, and in this affair, the Washington's main yard was car- 
ried away, and perhaps some other damage sustained, not now 
recollected. But three or four days after, we encountered an 
English cruiser, and as both vessels stood for each other, we 
were soon in close hailing distance and steered together. As 
no colors are trusted to in war, the usual questions were put to 
the strange vessel, whose answers put us to a loss whether she 
was an enemy or not, and deprived us of the advantage of a 
close broadside, which was ready to be poured into her. For, 
while our commander hesitated, the enemy, disliking our ap- 
pearance, clawed off, hove about, passed astern, and made sail 
from us. Just as she was executing this manoeuvre, Captain 
Barney, having ordered a gun to be fired over her, the men — 
all a tiptoe at their quarters, and in that excitement which im- 
pels to sudden action — not distinguishing the order to fire a 
gun, from the general command to engage, discharged the 
whole broadside, ineffectually, astern of her. A running fight 
then commenced ; and the enemy, working their vessel with 
superior skill, several times got into that dreaded position 'by 
which they had it in their power to rake our ship fore and aft. 
This being the fault of the sailing master, at last provoked 
Captain Barney to upbraid him with misconduct, and by great- 
er attention, the action become more successful on our part. 
The enemy however possessed still advantages, in a crew of 
prime seamen, (as we afterwards learned from one vvho had 
been previously captured by him) in her guns, which, though 
of like calibre and number with ours, were superior in weight 
and size : — ours being 6 pounders bored into nines, could not 
bear the charges, so that we had six guns overset in one broad- 
side ; which required so much time to replace them in a posi- 
tion for firing as saved the enemy and discouraged our men. — 
Besides, she was lately from port, was coppered to the bends, 
and sailed well. — The action was renewed as often as we 
could get up with our adversary, and so closely, that our yards 
were nearly interlocked, and we were once ordered to board, 
but were disappointed by the skill with which this measure was 

* ' Having lost the Diary, or Journal, kept for some time by me during 
our revolutionary war, I cannot precisely fix the dates.' 



APPENDIX. 313 

shunned by her. — After a long contest, in the night, the loss of 
spars, and the mizen-mast shattered by a 91b shot just below 
the hounds, splintering the mast one half down, and shot in 
various directions in hull and spars ; while we were just in the 
latitude of cruisers, and our public object endangered should 
we fall in with a stronger enemy ; the Captain was obliged to 
haul up the sails on the wounded masts and spars, which ena- 
bled the enemy to escape, at the very moment, when it ap- 
peared to me, she would have struck, could we have got along 
side of her again. — She went ofi' silenced. — Our men be- 
loved well, though so unhappily served by the guns. , Captain 
Barney showed that cheerful intrepidity, which 1 have more than 
once seen wanting in commanders at sea and ashore, and which 
he eminently possessed. He had two brothers who command- 
ed, I believe, in the tops. 1 saw one of them, (and he was not 
alone) get out on the end of the main yard, with his musket, to fire, 
when the enemy shot ahead, and the sail prevented him from 
acting. There were other traits of boldness, not now necessary 
to be recalled to memory and recital. We got into Cape 
Francois a few days after, a good deal injured, where we found 
the French and Spanish fleets, with a considerable land force ; 
but De Grasse a prisoner with tlie English, and his shattered 
ships reduced in number, his plans defeated, and my object 
consequendy baffled. I left the Washington at the Cape, and 
the ship went on from thence to Havanna, where Captain Bar- 
ney took on board a large quantity of specie, and returned with 
it in safety to Philadelphia.' 



NO. VII.— p. 146. 

' Miss Janctte Taylor having learned that Mrs Barney was 
about to publish a Memoir of Commodore Barney, and finding 
among her papers an original letter from that gentleman to Com- 
modore Paul Jones, her uncle, she sends a copy of it to Mrs 
Barney. — The letter shows they were on intimate and friendly 
terms ; it also refers to other letters that had passed between 
them ; if these exist this may form a link in the chain. 

'Lieutenant Thomas Fitzgerald, in a letter to Commodore 
P. Jones, dated Philadelphia July .2d, 1784 says, " the Washing- 
ton has been sold at Baltimore, Captain Barney resides there 
and has commenced merchant." ' 

The biographer has not thought it necessary to insert the 
letter inclosed in the above very polite note, as it was merely 
one of courtesy and private matters. 
27 



314 APPENDIX. 



NO. VII.— p. 261. 

Extracts of a letter from T. P. Andrews, Esq. to Major W. B. Barney. 

'Blake and myself were play-fellows and school mates. We 
heard of the Commodore's being blockaded in St Leonard's 
creek, and mutually agreed to run off from Washington, without 
the knowledge of our parents or friends, and offer our services 
to the distinguished commander of the flotilla, as private sailors 
or marines. The Commodore was pleased with such a mani- 
festation from two inexperienced boys, and, instead of placing 
us in the ranks of his command, as we expected, gave each of 
us a command as captains, in the corps of 150 marines, form- 
ed of his sailors, and placed on shore to repel an expected 
land attack on his flotilla. That corps you will recollect was 
commanded by yourself. As soon as most of the blockading 
squadron was withdrawn (leaving but two frii:;ates) you were 
sent down to the Bay with a flag of truce. The Commodore 
determined to force his way out, which he did do into the Pa- 
tuxent; — and if he had been properly supported by the land 
battery, I have no doubt he would have sunk or captured the 
two frigates. As it was, they were as you know, greatly dam- 
aged. As soon as the Comm.odore had forced his way out into 
the river and was in safety, Blake and myself, who were vol- 
unteer aids in his own barge, during his conflict with the enemy, 
returned to our families; the latter having become very uneasy 
at our elopement.' * * =* * '1 was also at his side in the battle 
of Bladensburg, and there again had occasion to witness and 
admire his distinguished character. On this occasion, however, 
1 was not attached officially to his command, having gone to the 
field as sergeant major and acting adjutant to one of the mili- 
tia regiments, which happened to be stationed immediately on 
the left flank of the flotilla [men.] — When the regiment re- 
treated, I joined the Commodore.' 



'To an extract from the journal of Mr T. P. Andrews, Mr 
A. adds — to do away misrepresentations that he thinks have 
been purposely made, the following information, derived from a 
gentleman who was on board the Loire frigate immediately after 
the action — that, on going on board, he found them hard at 
work pumping, in plugging the shot holes to keep her from sink- 
ing, and painting them over as fast as plugged of the color of 



APPENDIX. 



315 



the vessel; and that the captain of the Loire who was senior 
captain, and commanded both vessels in the engagement, can- 
didly informed him that he had 15 shot holes in his frigate; one 
in the copper above water, one below water mark, one near the 
bridle port which tore off a plank, and the rest in various other 
parts of the hull of the frigate. 

' The captain of the Loire also informed him, that tJie shot 
of the battery all fell short, that neither frigate had been struck 
by a hot shot, as some had supposed, and that every shot they re- 
ceived ivas from the cold eighteen -pounders of the flotilla. — 
The gendeman saw all the shot holes of the Loire, [and saw 
that the Narcissus was very much cut up below the bends, and 
saw them pumping, and planking her.' — ■ JVat. Intelligencer, 



NO. IX.— p. 263. 

' But if we were not harassed, we were at least startled, on 
the march by several heavy explosions. — The cause of these 
we were at first unable to discover ; but we soon learnt that 
they were occasioned by the blowing up of the very squadron of 
which we were in pursuit ; which Commodore Barney perceiving 
the impossibility of preserving, ^ruf/en?:/*/ destroyed, in order to, 
prevent its falling into our hands. ^ British in America, p. IIL 

'■ Barney^ s flotilla, blown up in the Patuxent, consisted only 
of one cutter, one gun-boat and thirteen barges — not of "26 
gunboats, and 10 or 15 barges," as stated in an Eastern paper.' 
JViles^s Register, vol. vii. p. 12. 

The cutter carried one long 18 on a pivot, one 181b. gunnade, 
and four short 91b. carronades — the gunboat had one 241b. 
long gun — and the barges each a long 12 or 18 in the bow, 
and a carronadeof 18 to 32 in the stern. 



NO. X. — p. 266. 

' After the retreat of the nailitia under Col. Kramer from his 
first position,) i. e. on the right of the road and in advance of 
Commodore Barney) the enemy's column in the road was ex- 
posed to an animated discharge from Major Peter's artillery, 
which continued until they came in contact with Commodore 
Barney : here the enemy met the greatest resistance and sus- 
tained the greatest loss, advancing upon our retreating line. 
When the enemy came in full view, and in a heavy column on 



316 APPENDIX , 

the main road, Commodore Barney ordered an 18 pounder to 
be opened upon them, which completely cleared the road, 
scattered and repulsed the enemy for a moment. In several 
attempts to rally and advance, the enemy was repulsed, which 
induced him to flank to the right of our lines in an open field. 
Here Captain Miller opened upon him whh three 12 pounders, 
and the flotilla men acting as infantry, with considerable effect. 
The enemy continued flanking to the right and pressed upon 
the commands of Colonels Beall and Hood, which gave way 
after three or four rounds of ineffectual fire, at a considerable 
distance from the enemy, while Colonel Beali and other officers 
attempted to rally the men on this high position. The enemy 
very soon gained the flank, and even the rear of the right of 
the second line. — Commodore Barney, Captain Miller and 
some other officers of his command, being wounded, his ammu- 
nition wagons having gone off' in the disorder, and that which 
the marines and flotilla men had being exhausted ; in this situa- 
tion a retreat was ordered by Commodore Barney, who fell him- 
self into the hands of the enemy.' — Report of the committee 
of investigation — Niles's Register, vol. vii. p. 248. 



NO. XI.— p.269. 

'This batfle, by which-the fate of the American capital was 
decided, began about one o'clock in the afternoon, and lasted 
till four. The loss on the part of the English was severe, since, 
out of two thirds of the army, which were engaged, upwards 
of five hundred were killed and wounded ; and what rendered 
it doubly severe was, that among these were numbered several 
officers of rank and distinction. Colonel Thornton who com- 
manded the light brigade ; Lieutenant Colonel Wood, command- 
ing the 85th regiment, and Major Brown who had led tlie ad- 
vanced guard, were all severely wounded ; and General Ross 
himself had a horse shot under him. On the side of the 
Americans the slaughter was not so groat. Being in possession 
of a strong position, they were of course less exposed in de- 
fending, than the others in storming it ; and had they conduct- 
ed themselves with coolness and resolution, it is not conceiva- 
ble how the day could have been won, But the fact is, that, 
with the exception of a party of sailors from the gun boats 
[barges] under the command of Commodore Barney, no troops 
could behave worse than they did. The skirmishers were 
driven in as soon as attacked, the first line gave way without 



APPENDIX. 317 

offering the slightest resistance, and the left of the main body 
was broken within half an hour after it was seriously engaged. 
Of the sailors, however, it would be injustice not to speak in 
the terms which their conduct merits. They were employed 
as gunners, and not only did they serve their guns with a quick- 
ness and precision which astonished their assailants, but they 
stood till some of them were actually bayonelted, with fusees in 
their hands ; nor was it till their leader was wounded, and they 
saw themselves deserted on all sides by the soldiers, that they 
quitted the field.' — British in America. Letter 8, p. 125. 



'There was, however, one difficulty to be surmounted in this 
proceeding — [evacuation of Washington.] Of the wounded, 
many were so ill as to preclude all possibility of their removal, 
and to leave them in the hands of the enemy whom we had 
beaten, was rather a mortifying anticipation. But for this there 
was no help ; and it now only remained to make the best ar- 
rangements for their comfort, and to secure, as far as could be 
done, civil treatment from the Americans. 

' It chanced, that, among the prisoners taken at Bladensburg, 
was Commodore Barney, an American officer of much gallant- 
ry and high sense of honor. Being himself wounded, he was 
the more likely to feel for those who were in a similar condition, 
and having received the kindest treatment from our medical at- 
tendants, as long as he continued under their hands, he became, 
without solicitation, the friend of his fellow sufferers. To him, 
as well as to the other prisoners, was given his parole, and to his 
care were our wounded, in a peculiar manner, entrusted, a trust 
which he received with the utmost willingness, and discharged 
with the most praiseworthy exactness. Among other terms, 
it was agreed between him and General Ross, that such of our 
people as were left behind, should be considered as prisoners 
of war, and should be restored to us, as soon as they were able 
to travel ; when he and his countrymen would, in exchange, be 
released from their engagements.' — lb. Letter 9, p. 142. 



' To destroy the flotilla, was the the sole object of the disem- 
barkation, and but for the instigations of Cockburn, who accom- 
panied the army, the capital of America would probably have 
escaped its visitation. It was he, who, on the retreat of that 
flotilla from Nottingham, urged the necessity of a pursuit, 
27* 



318 



APPENDIX. 



which was not agreed to without some wavering ; and it was 
he also who suggested the attack upon Washington, and finally 
prevailed on General Ross to venture so far from the shipping.' 
lb. p. 152. 

NO. XII.— p. 271. 

' At this time, aided by the darkness of the night and screen- 
ed by a flame they had kindled, one or two rocket or bomb 
vessels and many barges, manned with 1200 chosen men, pass- 
ed fort McHenry and proceeded up the Patapsco to assail the 
town and fort in the rear, and, perhaps, effect a landing. The 
weak sighted mortals now thought the great deed was done — 
they gave three cheers, and began to throw their missive weap- 
ons. But, alas ! their cheering was quickly turned to groan- 
ing, and the cries and screams of their wounded and drowning 
people soon reached die shore ; for forts McHenry"^' and Cov- 
ington, with the City Battery and the hazareito and hargcs, [of 
the flotilla] vomited an iron flame upon them, and a storm of 
heavy bullets flew upon thein from the great semicircle of large 
guns and gallant hearts. — The houses in the city v.ere shaken 
to their foundations ; for never perhaps, from the time of the 
invention of cannon to the present day, were the same number 

of pieces fired vpith so rapid succession.' ' Barney's flotilla 

men, at the City Battery, maintained the high reputation they 
had before earned.' — JViles^s Register vol. vir. p. 24. 



NO. XIII. -p. 271. 

' Resolved, By the Board of Aldermen and board of Com- 
mon Council of the City of Washington, That the Mayor be, 
and he hereby is, authorized to present to Commodore Barney 
a sword, as a testimonial of the high sense which this Corpora- 
tion entertains of his distinguished gallantry and good conduct 
at the battle of Bladensburg. 

' Resolved, That the Mayor be and he hereby is, authorized 
to present through Commodore Barney, the thanks of the 

* Fort McHenry did not perceive the passing- up of the British, and 
knew it only from the firing at the City battery of 6 guns, manned by flo- 
tilla men, and under the command of a flotilla officer — Mr Jno. A. Web- 
ster. The Lazaretto also was defended by flotilla men, under the command 
of first and second lieutenants Rutter and Frazier, so often before distin- 
guished. 



APPENDIX. 



319 



Corporation to the gallant officers and men, who served under 
his orders on the twentyfourth of August last — and to assure 
them this Corporation entertains the most lively sense of their 
services on that day.' 

(Signed) R. C. Weightman, 

President of the Board of Common Council. 
' Approved, Sept. 28th 1814. 

Jo. Gales, Jr., 
President pro tempore of the Board of Aldermen. 
' James Blake, Mayor.' 



' We have been favored with the following description of The 
Sword lately presented to Cnmnwdoi'e Joshua Barney by the 
Corporation of this City, in testimony of the intrepidity and 
valor displayed by him and the handful of men under his im- 
mediate command, in defence of the City of Washington, on 
the 24th day of August, 1814. The sword is elegant — the 
device on it is handsome. On the cuter side of the blade is a 
mythoJogic emblem. It is a figure with helmet, visor up, hold- 
ing on the left arm a fasces indicative of the genius of the 
Union; the left foot is in the prow of a galley, and the right is 
on the land ; the right hand holds an inverted spear erect on a 
globe, indicative of valor and military renown by sea and by 
land. 

' The rest are the usual technical and military trophies and a 
naval crown. 

' The blade is damasked, clouded, purpled, gilt and purpled, 
with the point and edge highly burnished, and it has a shell, 
containing the eagle with the anchor, surrounded by eighteen 
stars. The hilt, an eagle head, the guard a stirrup with troph- 
ies, and the whole mounting, scabbard and hilt and guard, are 
of solid pure silver, highly gilt. 

' The following inscription appears on the blade : " In testi- 
mony of the intrepidity and valor of commodore Joshua Bar- 
ney, and the handful of men under his immediate command in 
the defence of the City of Washington on the 24th of August, 
1814 — the Corporation of the City have bestowed on him this 
sword." ' — JVational Intelligencer. 



NO. XIV.— p. 271. 

' By this time (5th October) the whole fleet was once more 
collected together ; and covered the Potomac with ihviir keels. 



320 APPENorx. 

The Diadem being an old ship and a bad sailer, it was determin- 
ed to remove from her the troops which she had formerly car- 
ried, to fill her with American prisoners, and to send her to Eng- 
land. The Menelaus was likewise despatched with such 
officers and soldiers as required the benefit of their native air, 
to complete the cure of their wounds ; and the rest getting un- 
der weigh on the 6th, stood directly towards the mouth of the 
Chesapeake. — When we reached James River, we anchored, 
and were joined by an American schooner bearing a flag of 
truce. — She brought with her Colonel Thornton, lieutenant 
Colonel Wood, and the rest of the officers and men who had 
been left behind at Bladensburg, and being under the guidance 
of Commodore Barney, that gentleman was enabled to discharge 
his trust even to the very letter. 

' It may readily be supposed that the meeting between friends 
thus restored to each other was very agreeable. But there 
was another source of comfort which this arrival communicated, 
of greater importance than the pleasure bestowed upon indi- 
viduals. In Colonel Thornton we felt that we had recovered 
a dashing and enterprising officer ; and as well calculated to 
lead a corps of light troops, and to guide the advance of an 
army, as any in the service. On the whole therefore the 
American schooner was as welcome as if she had been a first 
rate man of war filled with reinforcements from England.' — 
British in America. 



NO. X V . — p. 272. 

'BRITISH OFFICIAL ACCOUNT SET RIGHT. 

' To the Editors of the National Intelligencer. 

* General Ross in his official despatch says, that after having 
landed the army at Benedict, they moved up to Nottingham, 
and on the 22d August, to Upper Marlborough, a few miles dis- 
tant from Pig Point, where Admiral Cockburn fell in with and 
defeated the flotilla, taking and destroying the whole. Now 
the fact is they neidier took nor destroyed the flotilla, for on 
the 2 1 St the flotilla was abandoned by the crews to join the 
army, leaving only six or eight men in every [each] barge, to 
destroy them on the appearance of the enemy's army, and forces 
from the fleet ; which was done by the officers and men left 
by me, and not by Admiral Cockburn. — So much for this part 
of the general's despatch. The general declares he landed the 
army to cooperate with Admiral Cochrane, in the operations 



APPENDIX. 



321 



which were to be made in an attack under Admiral Cockburn, 
upon the flotilla. Let us for a moment make a comparison of 
the forces ; 47 sail of ships of the line, frigates, bombs, sloops 
of war, tenders and transports ; having on board an army of, 
05 they said, 9,000 veteran troops, the crews of the ships, he, 
8,000 more, a total of 17,000 men, to cooperate against 14 
open row boats (not gun boats) and one tender ; having crews 
amounting in the whole to 503 men, 400 of which had left the 
barges the day previous, leaving 1 03 men to defend it against 
all the forces combined, with admirals, generals, &;c, at their 
head. The general then goes on to state, that on the 23d he 
was opposed by a corps of 1200 men — now the fact is, these 
1200 men, were no other than two companies of riflemen and 
infantry, with light artillery, 200 strong, under Major Peter 
from the District ; a skirmish ensued, one man was slightly 
wounded. — Then the general comes on to Bladensburg, where 
he found the " enemv strongly posted on commanding heights 
and a fortified house, he, which house was shortly carried ! " — 
now the fact is, the house was not occupied by the Americans, 
of course easily carried. — The general goes on to state how 
his troops advanced, and by the irresistible attack of the bayonet, 
the enemy got into confusion and fled. — It would have been 
more to the honor of the general, to have told that his men 
never had it in their power to use the bayonet but once, and 
then declined it ; for after every attempt was made by his men 
to advance on the main road and [they] were driven by the 
artillery under my command into the field, they were rallied 
and led on by Colonel Thornton, who advanced to within 50 
yards of our position, when he was met by the marines under 
Capts. Miller and Sevier, with the flotilla men. Col. Thornton 
fell dangerously wounded, Capt. Hamilton and Lt. Codd were 
killed, Lt. Stevely of the " king's own" also severely wounded. 
The veterans of the 86th and 4th or " king's own" gave way — 
so far from using the bayonet, they fled before our men, who 
pursued them, the sailors crying out to " board them," nor did 
the enemy rally until they got into a ravine covered with woods, 
leaving their [wounded] officers in our power. Then our men 
returned to their station ; Gen. Ross in person was obliged to 
take the command, but dared not lead them on in front, but 
pushed out on our flank ; our ammunition being expended we 
were necessitated to retire. The general says, the artillery 
which was under Cora. Barney, "ten pieces," were taken. The 
fact is I never had but five pieces. But such are the accounts 
given by British commanders. — The general goes on to state 



322 



APPENDIX. 



their loss, which appears small, yet to my knowledge the 86th 
regiment lost ten officers killed and wounded, among them 
Colonel Thornton, Lieut. Col. Wood, and Major Brown ; these 
facts could not be unknown to the general, as the above officers, 
fell into our power, as did between two and three hundred other 
officers and privates, and [they] have been exchanged through 
my agency, against the officers and men taken at Bladensburg, 
and all those taken and paroled, after being wounded, at Balti- 
more. Notwithstanding all these facts, Col. Brook says he car- 
ried off two hundred of the most respectable inhabitants of that 
City as prisoners — yet after this general exchange, the enemy 
fell in debt to us, in point of numbers, upwards of one hundred 
men, besides having two hundred men buried in the field. 
tSuch was the real state of these boasted transactions, for the 
truth of which I refer to Colonel Thornton, Lieutenant Colonel 
Wood, Major Brown and Lieutenant Stevely.' [Signed] 'Joshua 
Barney.' — JViles^s Register, Sup. to vol. vii. p. 159. 



NO. XVI.— p. 273. 

Congress of the United States. House of Representatives. 
Thursday, October 20th. — In committee of the whole a bill 
was agreed to for the relief of the officers and seamen for Bar- 
ney's flotilla — to indemnify them for the loss of their clothes 
&c, by the destruction of the barges in the Patuxent. On this 
bill considerable discussion took place in the house, and it was 
laid on the table.' — JViJes^s Register, vol. vii. p. lOS. . 



' Tuesday, JVov. Isi. The house resumed the consideration 
of the bill for allowing compensation to Commodore Barney's 
officers and men, for the loss of their clothing, he. 

' Mr Pleasants, of Va. took occasion to read the following 
letter he had received from Commodore Barney since the sub- 
iect was last under consideration. 

' Baltimore, Oct. 30th, 1814. 
' Hon. Mr Pleasants. 

Sir — It was not until this morning that I saw a short sketch 
of the debate on the ' Flotilla bill.' I was much surprised at what 
was said on that occasion, for it was well known when orders 
were given to bloiv up the flotilla, that the enemy were firing 
upon them from 40 barges with cannon and rockets, and had 
landed a body ol marines at Pig Point, within a mile of the 



APPENDIX. 



323 



flotilla. The orders of the Secretary of the Navy to me, were 
to keep the flotilla above the enemy, and if they attempted to 
march for Washington, to land my men, leaving sufficient to 
destroy the flotilla, if attacked. On Sunday, 21st of August, 
finding the enemy on the road to the Wood-yard, direct 
for Washington, I landed upwards of four hundred men, 
leaving only eight men in each barge to take care of them or 
destroy them as the case might be, but by no means to let them 
fall into the hands of the enemy ; most of the baggage and all 
the bedding of the men who were landed, was left on board, not 
wishing to encumber them. — On Monday morning, the 22d, 
we joined the army at the Wood-yard, where I found the ma- 
rine corps and five pieces of heavy artillery, which the Secre- 
tary of the Navy had the precaution to send forward from 
Washington and place under my command. I need not relate 
our services afterwards — but when the flotilla was blown up, 
we, and not the enemy, ' were a day's march from it,' of course 
could not save the baggage. — So far from being able to get 
' farther up the river,' as was said, the vessels were aground, 
and were blown up in that situation ; and as to having time to 
save the baggage, so contrary is the truth, that several of the 
men were taken prisoners in the act of destroying the flotilla, 
and still remain so. Much more might be said on this subject, 
but the winter coming on imperiously calls for some assistance 
to these unfortunate men. 

I have the honor to be, sir, your obeiiient servant, 

JjsHUA Barney." 

' The amendment, pending when this subject was last before 
the house was agreed to. 

' On motion of Mr J. G. Jackson, the word " officers^^ was 
stricken out of the bill 53 to 47. His reason was, that it would 
set a bad precedent for remuneration of officers in other cases 
where they should lose baggage, which frequently occurred. 

' ' The bill thus amended, was ordered to be engrossed for a 
third reading tomorrow. 

' Wednesday, JYov. 2d. The bill for the relief of the petty 
officers and seamen under Commodore Barney was passed., 
Ih. p. 108 — 142. 



NOTES. 



A. —p. 127. 



The following extract of a letter from a gentleman in Jamaica to his friend in 
Baltimore, dated ' Kingston, Ja. March 16th, 1794,' is copied from the 
' Maryland Journal, and'Baltimore Advertiser' of the 5th May, 1794. 

' On the 13th of February, the Court of Oyer and Terminer 
for the trial of offences committed on the high seas, met by ap- 
pointment ; after the usual forms, the Grand Jury went out for 
presentments and found two bills against Captain Joshua Bar- 
ney, of the ship Sampson, of Baltimore ; the first, for piratically 
and feloniously rescuing and bearing off a ship and cargo, which 
had been seized at sea, while under his command, in July last ; 
the second, for firing upon, with intention to kill, and wounding 
one of the prize masters. The Court then not thinking proper 
to go immediately into the trial, adjourned until the 3d instant, 
when they again met, and adjourned until the 10th j they then 
met and proceeded to try him on the first indictment. 

' Captain Barney was therefore arraigned at the bar, at 11 in 
the morning, and after an examination of witnesses, and pro- 
ceedings, which continued until 5 in the evening, and were then 
closed by the intervention of the Judges, a virtuous and inde- 
pendent Jury, without going out of their box, brought in a ver- 
dict of " not guUtif\ 

'The Court then adjourned to the 15th, to try him on the 
second indictment ; but during this interval, the President of 
the Court rssued an order to stop all further proceedings ; and 
thus ended the interesting' process. 

' The origin and progress of this trial has for some time en- 
gaged no small share of the common chat of this town, and 
has been seriously considered in the United States. It is not 
seasonable to trace this affair through all its stages ; suffice it to 
say, that \he firmness and dignity wherewith Captain Barney has 
conducted himself through the whole of this cruel and vindic- 
tive prosecution, at once bespeak him the man his fellow-citizens 
took him to be, and reflects additional lustre on the character of 



APPENDIX. 



325 



a native American. — While the rapacious agents of these 
commercial regulations were endeavoring by every insidious 
artifice to pillage him of the means of social existence, by de- 
priving him of his property, another junta, more wicked and 
inveterate, and no less industrious to avail themselves of every 
evil machination that malice could invent or envy dictate, to 
wreak their vengeance on his blood, and left nothing untried to 
deprive America of a valuable citizen, human nature of a friend 
and benefactor, and a virtuous and amiable family of a hus- 
band and father. 

[From the same paper of the 7th of May, 1794.] 

' Extract of a letter from a respectable merchant in Kingston, 
Jamaica, to a mercantile house in this town, dated March 13th. 

' I have felt very sincerely for the disagreeable situation Cap- 
tain Barney has been in ever since his arrival here, from the 
most cruel and barbarous treatment, by vexatious prosecutions, 
that any man, I believe, ever experienced. One of them is 
now over (for retaking his own ship, and carrying her to Balti- 
more), and with much credit to himself, and confusion of his 
persecutors ; and who, I hope, in the end, will suffer dearly 
for it, not only in their purses, but in the opinion (I may say) 
of the whole community.' 



B. — p. 186. 

[From the same paper of November 4th, 1794.] 

' The French prints inform us, that on the 14th of August 
the Minister from the United States to the French Republic 
communicated to the National Convention, the wish of his fel- 
low citizens for the prosperity of the nation — when his creden- 
tials were referred to the Committee of Public Safety. On their 
report the Convention decreed, that the said Minister should be 
introduced into the bosom of the Convention, and the President 
should give him the fraternal embrace, as a symbol of the friend- 
ship which unites the American and French people. Mr Mon- 
roe, the American Minister, then addressed the citizens repre- 
sentatives of the French people [in a speech] which during its 
delivery, was repeatedly interrupted by the applauses of the 
Convention. Among other things the Minister observed, that 
as a certain proof of the great [desire] of his countrymen for 
the freedom, prosperity, and happiness of the French Repub- 
28 



3-26 



APPE^fDIX. 



lie he assured them that the Continental Congress had requested 
the President to make known to them this sentiment, and while 
acting agreeably to the desire of the two Houses, the President 
enjoined him to declare the congeniality of his sentiment with 
theirs. — The Secretary then read the letter of credentials, 
when the President of the Convention replied to this effect : 

' The French people have never forgotten that they owe to 
the Americans the imitation of liberty. They admired the 
sublime insurrection of the American people against Albion 
of old so proud and now so disgraced. They sent their armies 
to assist the Americans, and in strengthening the independence 
of that country, the French, at the same time, learned to break 
the sceptre of their own tyranny, and erect a statue of liberty 
on the ruins of a throne, founded upon the corruption and 
the crimes of fourteen centuries. 

' The President proceeded to remark that the [alliance] be- 
tween the two republics was not merely a diplomatic transaction, 
but an alliance of cordial friendship. He hoped that this 
alliance would be indissoluble, and prove the scourge of 
tyrants, and the protection of the rights of man. He ob- 
served how differently an American ambassador would have 
been received in France six years ago, by the usurper of the 
liberty of the people ; and how much merit he would hav^e 
claimed for having graciously condescended to take the United 
States undei* his protection. At this day, it is the sovereign peo- 
ple itself, represented by its faithful deputies, that receive the 
ambassador with real attachment, while affected mortality [qu.] 
is at an end. He longed to crown it with the fraternal embrace. 
" I am charged," said he, " to give it in the name of the nation. 
Come and receive it in the name of the American nation, and' 
let this scene destroy the last hope of the impious coalition of 
tyrants." ' 

[Captain Barney accompanied the American Minister on this 
occasion, and was present during the sittings, a transcript of 
the proceedings of which, follows :] 

National, Conventioiv, August 15th. 

' The discussion on the organization of the several commit- 
tees were commenced, but the deliberation was soon after inter- 
rupted by the arrival of the Minister Plenipotentiary frpm the 
United States ; he was conducted into the centre of the hall 
an,d a Secretary read the translation of his discourse and cre- 
dential letters, signed by George Washington, President of the 
United States, and Edmund Randolph, Secretary of State, at 



APPENDIX. 



327 



Philadelphia, the 28th of May. The reading of this was ac- 
companied by repeated shouts of " Vive la Republique" — 
" Vivent les Republiques! " — and universal acclamations of 
applause. — j The discourse, &,c, were ordered to be printed in 
the French and American [qu.] languages. 

' The President gave the fraternal kiss to the Minister, and 
declared that he recognised James Monroe in this quality. 

' It is also decreed, on the motion of Moyse Bayle, that the 
colors of both nations should be suspended at the vault of the 
hall as a sign of perpetual alliance and union. The Minister 
took his seat on the mountain on the left of the President, and 
he received the fraternal kiss from several deputies. The sit- 
ting was suspended.' 

26 Fructidor, Sept. 25tb, 1794. 
Bernard, of Saints, President. 

' The President. — A letter in English has just now been de- 
livered to me, — the translation, which was joined, announces 
that the Minister Plenipotentiary of the United States of 
America sends a stand of colors, in order to be placed in the 
hall of the National Convention, at the side of the French col- 
ors. — It is brought by an officer of the United States. 

' The Convention orders him to be admitted. The Amer- 
ican officer enters the bar amidst universal shouts of applause ; 
he carries a standard, the colors of which are the same as those 
of our standard of liberty, with the only difference that a blue 
field is interspersed with stars. 

' He presented the following pieces which were read by a 
Secretary : 

" The Minister of the United States of America to the President of the Na- 
tional Convention. 

"Citizen President — The Convention having decreed 
that the colors of the American and French republics should be 
united and stream together in the place of its sittings, as a testi- 
mony of the union and friendship, which ought to subsist forever 
between the two nations, I thought that I could not better mani- 
fest the deep impression which this decree has made on me, and 
express the thankful sensations of my constituents, than by pro- 
curing their colors to be carefully executed, and in offering them 
in the name of the American people to the representatives of the 
French Nation. 

"I have had them made in the form lately decreed by Con- 
gress, and have trusted them to Captain Barney, an officer of 
distinguished merit, who has rendered us great services by sea, in 



328 



APPENDIX, 



the course of our Revolution. He is charged to present and to 
deposit them on the spot which you shall judge proper to appoint 
for them. — Accept, citizen President, this standard, as a new 
pledge of the sensibility, with which the American people always 
receive the interest and friendship, which their good and brave 
aUies give them ; as also of the pleasure and ardor with which 
they seize every opportunity of cementing and consolidating the 
union and good understanding between the two nations." (Ap- 
plauded.)' 

' Speech of Captain Barney, bearer of the colors. 

' Citizen President — Having been directed by the Minister 
Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to present to 
the National Convention the flag demanded [asked] of him ; the 
flag, under the auspices of which I have had the honor to fight 
against our common enemy during the war which has assured 
liberty and independence, I discharge the duty with the most 
lively satisfaction, — and deliver it to you. Henceforth, sus- 
pended on the side of that of the French Republic, it will be- 
come the symbols of the union which subsists between the two 
nations, and last, I hope, as long as the freedom, which they 
have so bravely acquired and so wisely consolidated.' 

A member. — ' The citizen who has just spoke at the bar, is 
one of the most distinguished sea-officers of America. He has 
rendered great service to the liberty of his country, and he 
could render the same to the liberty of France. I demand that 
this observation be referred to the examination of the Commit- 
tee of Public Safety, and that the fraternal embrace be given to 
this brave officer.' — (Applauded.) 

Several voices. — ' The fraternal embrace.' (Decreed.) 

' The officer went up with the flag to the chair of the Presi- 
dent, and received the fraternal embrace, amidst unanimous ac- 
clamations and applauses. 

Mathieu. — « One of our colleagues, in rendering homage 
to the talents and services of that officer, told you that he could 
be usefully employed by the Republic. I second the reference 
of his observation to the Committee of Public Safety.' — 
' Decreed.' 



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